Lantz Arena was jam-packed with basketball action this past weekend and the Eastern basketball team didn’t take a single shot.

Potentially, a few future Panthers may have been shooting their way into a bright basketball future as the Eastern High School and Junior High Basketball Team Camp II took place Friday through Sunday.

The camp was a place for 43 teams and an estimated 350 basketball players, grades 6-12, to come and play against teams from all over Illinois and Indiana.

“We try to tailor it for the team to come in here and improve themselves,” Eastern men’s head coach and camp director Mike Miller said.

The teams were placed in a division based on age. The divisions were varsity, freshmen/sophomore and junior high. The high school divisions were separated in class A and AA.

Each team was guaranteed a minimum of eight games in the three days, which meant some teams were playing up to four games in one day.

Northeastern High School sophomore Mitch Baemar said that playing that many games gets to be very tiring but that the good competition and the variety of teams really stood out.

Teammate Tim Stickel liked the camp because it gave more playing time and allowed him to concentrate on team defense from his center position.

“It helped me learn to become a better team player,” Stickel said.

Tim Cook was in attendance watching his 12-year-old son, Anthony, play for the Fillcrest Silver team in the junior high division.

“It gives the kids experience playing with different kids as well as against stronger competition from the different areas,” Cook said.

Cook said his son was very excited about the camp because he loves the game and wants to improve as much as possible.

Mike Kolton, the sophomore coach for Crystal Lake South, said that the school took teams from each level to the camp. Kolton felt that there was good competition, especially in the lower levels, and that the camp gives each team playing experience and an opportunity to come together as a team.

“We hope to improve over the summer and use this to build on for next season,” Kolton said.

Miller thinks that the camp is a good opportunity to bring the different kids to Eastern’s campus and give them the chance to see what Eastern is like.

Miller greeted the campers on Friday by talking to the kids as a whole and hoped that they understood the purpose of the camp.

“The most important things are being a good teammate, having a positive attitude and working hard,” Miller said.

Lyden Foust, from Northeastern High School from Fountain City, Ind., takes a short jump shot during the Boys Basketball Team Camp in Lantz Arena.

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