Good first impressions

Storm opens training camp with improved shooting

Tim Kendrick is excited by what he saw on Day 1 of the Island Storm training camp.

“I was really pleased with the energy and really pleased with the way the guys competed,” he said Thursday.

“I really liked the way we shot the ball,” added Kendrick, who noted it was an area the team identified as needing to improve after last season. “And I liked the skill level of some of our bigger players.”

The Storm opened camp Wednesday at Bluefield High School. They are at Colonel Gray High School today-Sunday before playing an intrasquad game Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Bluefield. The night will include a dunk content. Admission is $3 with all proceeds to the school’s Step-up and the Athletic Department.

There are currently 17 active players in camp with forward Dominic Shuler sidelined for up to two weeks with an ankle injury. Point guard Alex Campbell will join the team on the weekend while centre Carl Hall will not attend camp but has already been guaranteed one of the 12 roster spots. Hall is currently playing in Mexico and will join the Island squad once his season there is finished, which could be in late November, early December.

Kendrick said there are no doubt some nerves or anxious moments for players as they look to secure one of the remaining 11 roster spots.

“They’re trying to win a job,” he said. “You only can keep 12. Everybody can count. We’re (all) in the (gym), they know there’s more than 12 there.

“They understand that they have to play to a certain level to be able to stick.”

The team practises today from 5:30-7 p.m. and 1-4 on Saturday and Sunday.

The team has exhibition games against Pure Passion Sports scheduled for Friday, Nov. 9, and Saturday, Nov. 10, at Westisle Composite High School and Kensington Intermediate Senior High school, respectively. Both games begin at 7 p.m.