Summer basketball allows return to normal for local teams

HERMON, Maine (WABI) - It’s been a weird school year from they let them play to the kids played with masks, and at the end of it sort of back to normal. Basketball teams believe it will be back to normal this winter too. Summer ball is always the start of the season.

The sound of sneakers.

“It’s about time yeah,” says Hermon senior Megan Tracy.

The bouncing of basketballs.

“I see a little more pep in their step,” says Hermon head coach Chris Cameron, “A little extra work to be able to do it for real after what we’ve been through in the last year is really exciting.”

Summer high school hoops kicking off this week for some of the top local girls basketball teams in the state.

“It’s been really fun to have a full summer of basketball. We didn’t last year,” says Cameron, “To be able to get into the weight room, to be able to get on the court, to be able to see the kids without masks on, to be able to see their faces and remember what they look like.”

No masks, for indoor basketball games.

“This is where we get conditioned,” says Tracy, “When I heard no masks I was like that’s perfect so I can actually play hopefully a whole game.”

People call it the offseason but to be one of the best teams like Hermon know you can’t let the rust set in.

“This is the start of our season right. This is the pre-preseason you start to get all the kids 9-12. The Team chemistry starts, the bonding starts now,” says Cameron.

“To see like where we need to work on. Just to come together as a team because we have people that come up during the summer to see like where they fit,” says Tracy.

Once again the hope is there for packed stadiums, Tournament 2022, and maybe raising a gold ball...

“I’m hoping it ends with the tournament. That’s what we’re all looking for,” Megan says, “Last year that’s what we were working towards and every practice was about not only the games coming up, but like next year, and really getting ready for it. Now we know what we want even more than we did then.”

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