It was three weeks of basketball, but the North Callaway boys packed much experience in that span.

The Thunderbirds finished their summer schedule on June 26 with the second and final day of their team camp in the third week after playing in 19 shootout games in the prior two weeks. They won 11 games, according to head coach Matt Miller.

Miller said he tried to give his players ample off time and avoided scheduling in July to not conflict with other sports. North Callaway played at the Licking team camp in Rolla and shootouts in Higbee, New Bloomfield and Montgomery County. It was a lot of basketball in a short amount of time, but Miller was impressed with what he saw.

“I was really pleased with our defense,” Miller said. “We’re going to be a sound and good veteran defensive team. They really bought into that and are really unselfish.”

Miller said likes the summer mostly because he is able to see how known veterans step up and how some lesser known players emerge. Varsity role players and junior varsity players rise up to bigger roles, including perhaps as starters. 

Tristan Petty is a senior who stood out to Miller after not having as big of a role in the past. Two of his starters from a year ago, seniors Jake Blevins and Jamarion Glover, did attract attention by being named to the all-camp team at the Licking team camp, which chooses 12-15 players out of about 15-20 teams according to Miller. 

“We’ve got six seniors (here at team camp), and we’re going to have eight seniors,” Miller said. “Eight seniors are the most I’ve ever had by far.”

Miller said he is proud to see such commitment from his seniors, who he expects to have a big leadership presence during the season. Six of them were in the gym for North Callaway’s team camp, and Miller said that was about the number who attended everything in the summer.