Alcorn’s Coach Riley teaches basketball skills with camp
When Alcorn State University men’s head basketball coach Luther Riley started his basketball camp, he had two things in mind – passing along his hoop skills to the youth and showcasing Alcorn’s friendly culture.
“It feels great to get out and share the fundamental skills of basketball with children. We’re taking advantage of sharing the Alcorn brand with the surrounding communities,” said Riley.
About 80 eager boys and girls, ages 5-17, laced up their sneakers and went to the A.W. Watson Elementary School Gymnasium in Port Gibson on Thursday morning to enhance their game at Coach Riley’s Satellite Camp Tour. This was the camp’s third day of a week-long tour that has included Wilkinson County and Adams County. The camp will conclude today at Carrol High School in Monroe, Louisiana. Riley and his assistants did drills in dribbling, shooting, offense, defense, and passing.
Riley’s upbringing not only prepared him to teach the game of basketball to children, but to also teach them life lessons they can use on a daily basis.
“One of the main reasons we do this is to build character in our young people. We want to instill discipline in all of them. If we can reach them by giving them morals to apply to their lives, then we have done our job.”
Port Gibson High School point guard and 16-year-old junior Glendolin Watson was excited about the new skills she learned while attending the camp.
“It feels great to come out and learn new basketball moves that I can take with me and use during the upcoming basketball season,” said Watson.
Trinity Episcopal Day School point guard and senior Tommy McCoy was happy to lend a helping hand to the toddlers at the camp.
“I like participating in the drills, but I really enjoy helping the younger children by teaching them the game of basketball,” said McCoy.
