By kevin eckleberry

Daily News

It was all basketball, all the time.

The two-day LaGrange College Youth Basketball Elite basketball camp wrapped up on Wednesday, and the 35 participants got plenty of time in the gym.

The camp was for high-school players, and the players had the option of spending the night on Tuesday.

While there was ample time devoted to basketball instruction, the players also got an opportunity to learn the ins and out of the recruiting process, which LaGrange College assistant coach Jasen Jonus said was a key focus of the camp.

“I really want them to understand how to be recruited at any level,” said Jonus, who is heading into his seventh season as an assistant coach at LaGrange College. “Last night we had a recruitment talk. I made a packet with about 10

pages on how to be recruited on this level, the Division II level, the Division I level, and what it takes grade wise, what tests to take. I added some college-level workouts, and we talked about nutrition. So that’s the main think I want them to get out of it, learn some skills, but more-so see how to be recruited.”

The camp began at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, and they remained on the go until 8 p.m.

On Wednesday, the players got a chance to put what they learned to the test during a series of mini-games in Mariotti Gym, and the campers also took a tour of the campus.

“The first day, we did all skill work, teaching,” Jonus said while watching the players scrimmage on Wednesday afternoon. “Today, I want to implement some of the skills we learned.”

More than half of the campers come from one team.

This is the fifth consecutive year the Appalachian School (Ala.) has participated in the camp, and head coach Brandon Hyatt said 18 of the 21 players on the varsity and junior-varsity squads attended.

“The biggest thing is it’s two days of basketball for eight, nine hours a day,” Hyatt said. “It’s some of the same things I’m telling them, but from other coaches. And they’re learning new stuff as well.”

The Appalachian players spent the night on Tuesday, so the players got to spend plenty of time with each other.

“It’s all about fun for us,” Hyatt said. “It’s a chance to get away from the parents, bring the kids out. They bond, we bond. These Division III guys, they get to run with them at night, and see what kind of talent level is there.”

LaGrange College will host another camp for boys and girls ages 7 to 14 on June 19-20.

For information on the camp, go to lagrangepanthers.com.