One of the questions I am always asked is how to get better at basketball. We are really lucky to have so many great programs in our part of the state. Some of them operate under the radar so here is a list of some great programs that I have been part of – either coaching or as a player.
For a high-schooler, I strongly recommend the Excel Basketball Camp (Click here). Usually it is in the first two weeks of August in New Providence. They focus on fundamentals. I have been coaching with them for several years.
Another Jersey powerhouse for high-schoolers is Hoop Group, in Neptune (Click here). They run lots of different camps including a 4-day camp to showcase academically strong basketball players to college coaches. I would highly recommend it for sophomores and juniors that want to play ball on the college level in a D-1 or D-3 program. It is a great way to make connections with coaches and other players from all over the country. I went to two sessions during my junior summer and got a lot of great contacts.
When you are not playing in your high school b-ball season, I recommend Hoop Heaven (Click here). They have a number of locations and it is a great way to stay in shape and find some good competition. Shout out to my coaches at Hoop Heaven.
To stay on top of what’s going on in basketball, find a blog or website that covers action in your county. It is often a lot more detailed than what you find in the paper. When I went to Morristown-Beard high school, I followed the Morris County Varsity Boys Basketball blog (Click here). This blog gives a good rundown on each team in the county and often has cool pics (Click here).
About the author: A business student at The College of New Jersey, Stephen Sangree has worked as an elite assistant recruiter with Hoop Group and as a counselor at Excel Basketball Camp.
