IMA SPORTS

When T.J. Gillespie agreed to take over a 10-team summer league last season after another school couldn’t come through, he had been the head coach of the Maumee boys basketball program for less than two months.

Now more than a year and 20-plus games later, Gillespie and the Panthers are back on the court, hosting the summer league for the second season.

Teams in this year’s league are Northview, Clay, Start, St. John’s, AIA, Waite, Springfield, Northwood and Chandler Park.

While it was a struggle to find new teams to replace a few departed ones from a year ago. Gillespie said getting the league started was a much smoother process this year.

“It was a little bit of a struggle to get to 10 teams, but now that we have it and things are moving, I’m excited that we have this many people committed and showing up,” Gillespie said.

According to Gillespie, it wasn’t a discussion if Maumee would host the summer league again. The other teams enjoyed the experience and Bowsher, which was supposed to host last year’s league, was OK with the Panthers taking it again this year.

“We had good really good reviews from most people last year,” Gillespie said.

While Gillespie admits putting on the games can be tiring and a struggle, he said the 12 games his team gets to play in June is invaluable. The most important part of the summer league is having his players continue to build on their skill sets and form a closer cohesion among each other.

It also helps that many of the returning key pieces from a year ago are showing up to the summer league games, names like Ben Kubicz, Will Kubicz, Abram Sutherland and Eli Dodson.

“Better than last year, our guys that we need to be here are here,” Gillespie said. “We have a strong group this year, I’m really excited.”

Many of Gillespie’s players will soon leave the hardwood for the football field or soccer pitch to prepare for the fall season, it’s still important to get a basketball in their hands as much as he can.

“I don’t want them to not touch a basketball for six months, eight months or whatever it is,” Gillespie said. “If they can just continue to build on the skill set they already have, then when we get into the first day of our training camp, things will be smoother, they won’t be as rusty.”

Unlike last year, the players and Gillespie know each other now. He said they’re all comfortable with each other thanks to the time they’ve spent together that helps build those relationships.

“We’re both very comfortable,” Gillespie said. “They know what I want. They know when I’m joking and when I’m serious. They can understand my tone and what that means, so they act accordingly.

“I love these guys. These are some of the best athletes I’ve coached, not just from an athletic standpoint but from a kid standpoint, just being good people. Half the time, I can’t even stay serious because these guys make me laugh. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Photo courtesy of Pride of the Panthers
Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com