Lady Panthers host basketball camp at M-CHS

Lady Panthers head coach John McHenry instructs incoming freshman Malia Begay (left) and TaeLynn Comisky (right) during a shooting competition on Monday.

Jardyn Angell/The Journal

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Lady Panthers head coach John McHenry instructs incoming freshman Malia Begay (left) and TaeLynn Comisky (right) during a shooting competition on Monday.

Jardyn Angell/The Journal

Each camper received a custom-made M-CHS basketball after the skills camp this week.

Jardyn Angell/The Journal

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Each camper received a custom-made M-CHS basketball after the skills camp this week.

Jardyn Angell/The Journal

Twenty students in fifth through eight grades attended the M-CHS Lady Panther basketball camp from Monday through Wednesday.

Jardyn Angell/The Journal

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Twenty students in fifth through eight grades attended the M-CHS Lady Panther basketball camp from Monday through Wednesday.

Jardyn Angell/The Journal

All of the photos were taken in the Tonto National Forest northeast of Phoenix. The first photo is of Ezekiel Sanchez, co-founder of the Anasazi Foundation. The rest are all photos of parent-child reunions that happen in the final days of participants' experience in the wilderness therapy programs. Unfortunately the organization does not have information about the individuals in the photos and also can't release participants' names because of HIPAA. However, the organization said that it would be fine if we used the photos. credit for all photos: Courtesy of Michael Merchant, the Anasazi Foundation.

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All of the photos were taken in the Tonto National Forest northeast of Phoenix. The first photo is of Ezekiel Sanchez, co-founder of the Anasazi Foundation. The rest are all photos of parent-child reunions that happen in the final days of participants' experience in the wilderness therapy programs. Unfortunately the organization does not have information about the individuals in the photos and also can't release participants' names because of HIPAA. However, the organization said that it would be fine if we used the photos. credit for all photos: Courtesy of Michael Merchant, the Anasazi Foundation.

The Montezuma-Cortez Lady Panthers basketball program held its individual skills camp this week at M-CHS.

M-CHS girls head coach John McHenry, assistant Brittney Whiteman, middle school coach Brad Wright and Adams State University player Cydney McHenry led groups of athletes in drills and games from Monday through Wednesday.

There were 20 fifth through eighth grade girls and boys that attended the morning sessions and nine high school girls that came out for the afternoon session, which McHenry said included a strong incoming freshman class.

Because the Montezuma Storm basketball club is scheduled to host a shooting camp from Aug. 8-10 – featuring instruction from professional shooting coach Tom Marumoto – McHenry decided to emphasize ball handling, passing and defense during the camp.

“In August, we will have a shooting camp and a clinician come in,” he said. “So I’m not going to lean on that too hard because we’re going to follow this camp with that shooting camp put on by the Montezuma Storm.”

As for the high school group, McHenry focused his instruction on defense and getting open without the ball. After seeing the inside presence of Centauri and Pagosa Springs over the summer, he believes it will be imperative for his squad to find looks from outside in the upcoming season.

“We’re going to run through staggered and double screens because after going to summer camps and seeing Centauri and Pagosa, it’s going to be hard for us on the inside,” he said. “We’re going to have to set stuff up on the outside to shoot.”

Organizers wrapped up the camp on Wednesday with a drawing for athletes with perfect attendance over the three-day camp with an Adams State University basketball jersey and shoes given out as prizes. Each participant also received a custom M-CHS basketball.