jam•bo•ree
noun
a large festive gathering.
a long, mixed program of entertainment.
In this day and age when words are bandied about willy-nilly, with little regard for accuracy, it's refreshing when something actually is what it says it is.
Four area schools - Helias, Jefferson City, Blair Oaks and Fatima - came together Friday night for a basketball Jamboree at Helias, a group of preseason scrimmages. And not only was the gathering of players, coaches and fans both large and festive, it was also a long, mixed program of entertainment.
With the boys and girls teams from each school in attendance, there was more than enough action going on to keep Rackers Fieldhouse and the Helias Gym hopping.
For a basketball fan like me, it was a great way to get the season underway. While there will be plenty of games to watch in the coming months, there's nothing quite like getting your first look at a team. This is the time of year when every team is undefeated, everyone is optimistic about what the season will bring and no one has been beaten down by injuries or adversity.
While I only saw the boys portion of the event, I still was able to get a feel for what four teams will have to offer this season in a short period of time. That will be handy in the coming months, but what made the event worthwhile for me was getting to watch the four coaches ply their craft.
I've been at this reporting gig for so long I not only got to see Helias' Josh Buffington, Jefferson City's Blair Thompson, Blair Oaks' Ryan Fick and Fatima's Ryan Robertson as standout players, but I'm getting to watch them develop into fine coaches.
With each passing year, it becomes evident to me each of those schools should never take for granted just how fortunate they are to have those coaches. More than once I remarked to bystanders just how much fun it is to watch them take new players each year and mold them into teams that are able to compete with the taxing schedule each school plays.
A couple of observations based on Friday's action:
• Everyone knows Helias is going to be very good this year and a legitimate contender for the Class 4 state title. The Crusaders are so deep their second unit would be able to win a lot of games in most years, and their first unit, led by returning all-stater Isiah Sykes and Alabama football recruit Hale Hentges, is going to be fun to watch night-in and night-out for the Helias faithful. Buffington has put together an unbelievably taxing schedule to make sure the Crusaders will be battle-tested, and they should be ready for a deep postseason run come March.
• If you haven't watched the Jays play the last few years, you'd better make sure to do so this season. Jefferson City has a truly unique talent in Indiana Hoosier signee O.G. Anunoby, and he was in midseason form with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat Blair Oaks. He'll be worth watching by himself, but it will also be fascinating to watch Thompson mold a young supporting cast. He did a masterful job last year as the Jays took great strides from Day 1 until the postseason, and don't be surprised to see that happen again this year.
• Blair Oaks has had a huge roster overhaul after graduating a big senior class last year, and many were wondering if the Falcons would be in for a rough season. If Friday was any indication, they'll be just fine. While the Falcons may be a bit on the small side, they've got some great long-range shooters, led by Kory Franks. Fick does a great job of turning out uptempo squads year after year, and combining that with the marksmen on this team could make for some impressive point totals this year.
• It's always a treat to watch how hard Fatima teams play for Robertson. I always come away impressed with how the Comets can "ugly up" a game with their defense, making opponents have to work tooth and nail for every score. They were at it again Friday night, forcing their foes to have to work for every basket. If they do what their coach wants them to do, they'll be in fine shape come district time.
All in all, it was a fun night and an entertaining event, one deserving of its name.