PLAINS - Monday through Wednesday of last week the Plains High School (PHS) gymnasium was filled with the sounds of dozens of basketballs being dribbled and shot. Starting at 9:00am and finishing at 11:30am, first graders through seventh graders participated in the 2015 Basketball Camp of Champions. From noon to 3:00pm grades eighth through twelfth participated in the camp.

The camp was being run by PHS alumni Royce Johnston and Andy Swanson, along with three other alumni volunteers.

Royce was a basketball player for PHS. He became known as one of PHS’s best players ever. During his time as a high school basketball player, he received  “PHS’s All Time Leading Scorer Title” and the “Montana State Boys Basketball All Time, All Class Leading Scorer.” Royce went on to play at The University of Montana-Western in Dillon, from 1991 to 1995.

Swanson was also one of PHS’s star players, and also went on to play in college at UM-Western and Dickinson.

The morning session for the younger camp attendees focused on the fundamentals of basketball; dribbling, passing, shooting and free throws, defensive skills, and basketball position. Royce and Swanson held small games for the younger children, who also engaged in hot shot competitions, station work and shooting to music.

The older players focused on fundamentals, competitions, shooting drills, full court drills, fast break drills, individual instruction, and small games.

Jessica Butcher, a mother of three who sat in on the camp said, “I have a 13 year old, 12 year old, and 10 year old in the camp... I went to this camp when I was growing up here, which is pretty cool that my kids get to go to this camp now.”

For a period the camp was not held at the school, due to the fact that a number of years ago the floor to the gymnasium was being replaced. Royce, who ran the camp for a number years, moved on, but this year he and the other volunteers were able to get the camp running again.

“...I had a few requests from a few friends of mine that are still around so I decided to come back and put a camp on for the kids and we were pretty pleased with the interest that we had and the numbers that are here,” said Royce as he looked at the 44 camp attendees practicing shooting.