By Chad Klassen

Best young basketball players hoping national championships launch careers

Aug 7, 2018 | 6:05 PM

KAMLOOPS — As the best young basketball players from across Canada converge on Kamloops for the 2018 U-15 and U-17 boys national basketball championships, they are soaking it all in. Some are competing in a national championship for the first time, while others are back for a title. 

“Once-in-a-lifetime experience for me,” says U-15 player from P.E.I. Jeremy Norman. “You get to see a whole bunch of players, future prospects probably. The competition’s insane here.”

The tournament is a chance, especially for the U-17 players, to show what they’ve got, as scouts from the national team watch their games closely this week. 

“Canada Basketball has representation here. They’re sitting here all week making notes nd understanding who are the up-and-comers at the U-15 level, who are the guys who are going to represent us in maybe 2020 in the Olympics if we qualify,” notes tournament director Joe Enevoldson. 

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For U-17 Team Alberta player Holt Tomie, who’s back at a national championship after competing for his province at the U-15 championships two years ago, hopes he can keep his basketball career going beyond this experience. 

“Just play university, get my education taken of, and hopefully I can go play pro somewhere. That would be sweet,” he says. 

The people who are recruiting players to their university programs are in Kamloops as well, including the U-17 Team BC head coach Kevin Hansen, who’s also the head coach of the UBC men’s basketball team. The Wolfpack men’s basketball coach Scott Clark is keeping his eyes out for potential recruits as well. 

“[We’re looking at] ability, athletic ability, obviously their quickness, size, the skill, competitiveness. All those skills you can see here,” notes Clark. 

For now, the players have their eyes on winning a national championship for their province in Kamloops.