Bluehawk boys gain practice on court

THOMPSON FALLS – There are quite a few months before the high school basketball’s regular season gets underway throughout Sanders County, but that has not kept young athletes from hitting the hardwood during the summer months.

The Bluehawks of Thompson Falls start regular practices for the winter sports season in late November, but summer league play has given the team a chance to get together, improve their skills and have fun.

“Obviously, the summer season is not nearly as structured as it is during the winter but it’s still a lot of fun,” Chadd Laws, head coach of Thompson Falls, said.

The boys’ first summer tournament of the year was hosted in Libby on the first weekend in June.

The Bluehawks played well throughout the tournament, competing in a total of five contests and winning all but one of the games.

Laws noted an important aspect of the summer basketball season is the ability to work with incoming freshmen, which will join the regular season squad.

Laws added the tournaments give the younger kids a chance to face off against experienced competition they may not have encountered before, a critical tool in prepping the youngsters for the upcoming basketball year.

The main and most notable difference between the summer pre-season and the winter regular season is the lack of practices in the summer.

Laws noted competing at tournaments without substantial practice time is certainly a challenge but the summer months were geared on getting kids on the court and offering them an opportunity to play basketball in the offseason.

“The main thing we are doing in the summer is just giving the kids a chance to play basketball,” Laws said.

Following their tournament in Libby the boys of Thompson Falls participated in the Grizzlies Basketball team camp, held at the University of Montana in Missoula, from June 13 through June 15.

The team camp also featured a tournament, in which the Bluehawks took part in five games, winning two and losing three, against a wide field of competition.

Coach Laws pointed out the tourney featured two Canadian basketball teams, in addition to a number of squads from outside of Montana.

The head coach believes playing against teams from across the northwestern region helped the boys of all ages on his team improve their own basketball skills.

“You see different styles of basketball the kids don’t normally see against local competition,” Laws said.

Following the Grizzlies team camp, the Bluehawks hit the road again, making the long trip over to Liberty County to play at a tournament in Chester.

Once again the Bluehawks fared pretty well against their competition, winning four of their five tourney games over the course of the competition.

Before too long the Thompson Falls team will embark on another road trip, this time in a westerly direction, to compete in a tournament in Spokane.

Their games in eastern Washington will take place during the second weekend of July.

The summer basketball season wraps up for the boys at the end of the month on July 31.