Local News
Email
Print
Finals: Guard from Clemmons is going for title
Journal Photo by Walt Unks
Tripp Shelton will compete tonight in Orlando, Fla., in the finals of the Jr. NBA Skills Challenge.
ADVERTISEMENT
Published: May 15, 2009
Updated: 05/15/2009 12:30 am
CLEMMONS - Tripp Shelton didn't do much to prepare for his first Jr. NBA Skills Challenge.
Tripp, 12, happened to be going to the West Forsyth Family YMCA one day in January to play basketball. A family friend told him that the competition, a sort of ball-handling obstacle course, was happening that day and suggested that Tripp give it a try.
"I just showed up at the Y," he said. "I didn't even know they were doing that."
Tripp has managed to turn that simple suggestion into an expense-paid trip to Orlando, Fla., where he will be one of four boys in his age group to compete in the national finals of the program.
This time Tripp, a seventh-grader at Clemmons Middle School, is practicing.
"I'm going to the Y, working on free throws," he said.
Officials didn't tell Tripp what his time was during the tryout at the West Forsyth YMCA, but it was good enough for him to go to Charlotte for a regional competition against four other players in the Charlotte Bobcats market.
Tripp also won that competition, which was played in March in the Bobcats' practice arena. Now he will face three other boys in the 11-12 age group to compete for the national title tonight in Orlando. He is one of 24 finalists out of more than 100,000 who participated, according to the organizers of the program.
The competition is sponsored by Jr. NBA/WNBA, an organization that promotes the development of young players.
The competition involves a course designed to test basketball abilities. His father, Tommy Shelton, said that it starts with a layup, then competitors dribble through cones, take a shot from the free-throw line, make and receive a pass, then dribble through more cones before finishing with a layup.
Contestants must hit their shots before moving on. The competitor who finishes the course with the fastest time wins.
"The key is making the free throw, because if you don't that'll throw the time off," Tommy Shelton said.
Tripp is a back-up point guard who got a lot of playing time on the Clemmons Middle team. It went 11-1 and won its conference this season.
His coach, Brent Koeval, said that Tripp is a team player who is popular with his teammates.
"He's very skilled and has very good fundamentals," Koeval said. ""I wasn't surprised when I heard he won it. I'm excited for him."
Tripp has been playing basketball since he was about 5. He also plays baseball and golf.
The national competition takes place in the Orlando Magic's practice arena.
After the competition, the contestants get to attend Universal Theme Park on Saturday.
Tripp said that the chance to go to the theme park is the most exciting thing about the journey.
Is he nervous?
Tripp says no.
"Not yet," his father quickly added. "We'll see."
■ Paul Garber can be reached at 727-7327 or at pgarber@wsjournal.com.
Email
Print
