Vikings basketball hosting skills camp

MOSES LAKE — The Big Bend Community College Vikings men’s basketball coaching staff is hosting a skills camp Saturday. This camp will run from 2-3:30 p.m. for boys in grades 9-12. 

“Big thing for us right now is just trying to get the new staff out in front of the community and get people excited to come to Moses Lake and come to Big Bend basketball games,” Vikings Head Coach Dallin Spencer said. 

Along with Spencer, who was named the head coach in May, the Vikings have also added James Shank and Mikel Bias as assistant coaches over the summer. Having them run the camp alongside him is something Spencer said will be beneficial to helping them get ready to coach together before the basketball season.

“My assistants are going to be running a lot of the drills because I’m picky with who I hire, and the guys I hired, they know their stuff,” said Spencer. “A lot of what we’re going to be doing is what I want and what I expect in our program with my guys.” 

During Saturday’s camp Spencer said he plans to give the athletes a skills clinic where they run through fundamental drills involving ball handling and shooting. This will give the players a head start on warming up on their basketball fundamentals ahead of the basketball season. 

This camp will help teach the players ways that they can continue working on their basketball skills whether it’s in the gym or at home. The coach said he also wants to show the young athletes the college expectation on the court and what needs to be done to reach that level. 

“Which is why we’re tailoring it to the ninth to 12th graders so they have some drills that they can do on their own outside of practice,” he said. “To better help themselves get ready for tryouts and carry on through the season.” 

This weekend will only feature BBCC coaching staff as many players are not on campus yet. He still has plans to get the players involved once they arrive with multiple camps he calls, ‘Hoop Groups’. 

For one or two times a week in September and October, Spencer said he will have his players running the hoop groups helping coach the players attending the camps.  

“This (Saturday) is kind of to lay the groundwork and then September and October, our guys will be in town, and our guys will be coming to those and running those camps,” said the coach.  

Staying active in the community is important to Spencer and the Vikings basketball team, whether in the offseason or even once the season starts. 

“The weeks that we’re going to be light on games and stuff. We’re going to probably throw a camp or two (in there),” said Spencer. “Big thing for me is, I want the community and I want kids in the gym. Kids need to be in the gym playing, practicing, working out. And if we can provide that for them at the college level in the great facility that we have, then that’s what we’re going to do.”