Players coach players at Warrior hoop camp

Published 7:16 pm Saturday, July 2, 2011

Finals: Lewis Gatling, left, guards Jamal Boone during the finals of the 1-on-1 competition during the last day of the Seventh Annual Youngstarz Basketball Camp at Nansemond River on Thursday. NR head coach Ed Young runs the camp with help from his current and former Warrior players.

Nansemond River head boys basketball coach Ed Young is nearing 400 victories in his high school coaching career.

Young’s guided the Warriors to Southeastern District titles during five of his seven seasons at NR and won all sorts of Coach of the Year honors before and during his tenure with Nansemond River.

On Thursday afternoon, the last day of the Seventh Annual Youngstarz Basketball Camp, Young was primarily the public address announcer and it was nearly unanimous among the younger half of the Youngstarz the best instruction and most fun they had during the four days of camp came from the Warriors who played or are playing under Young.

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Jamal Boone, a 10-year-old who goes to Driver Elementary School, won the final round of the 1-on-1 competition in his age group. Boone comes to as many Warrior games as possible during the high school season and he was headed straight from camp, ending at 5 p.m., to the full slate of Summer League games that evening at King’s Fork.

“We learned teamwork,” he said. Jamal, probably because he’s a quick ball-handler and sweet-shooting guard as well, said the best coach of the week was Warrior guard and rising senior Shannon Evans.

“He’s teaching me to follow through on my shots,” Jamal said.

“The best part is practicing and playing games with your friends,” said Rontavious Sallywhite, a Creekside Elementary student who was a finalist in the free-throw shooting contest.

Jack McGhee, who goes to Northern Shores Elementary, made 17-of-20 free throws in the two rounds of the contest.

Jack said the best part about the camp was, “getting to play with (the Nansemond River) players. They’ve helped me with a lot of stuff.”

Former Warrior star Nick Wright, now a junior forward for Old Dominion, came during Wednesday’s activities to help coach drills and speak with the campers.

Luke Williamson, from Kilby Shores Elementary, was another free-throw finalist in the young half of the camp. It was his first Youngstarz Camp.

“They (Nansemond River players) are helping me get better,” he said.

“I want to make it to the NBA,” Luke said.