New City Alert: Thunderstruck, California

California in the summer is a great place to be. There are many different sites to see and events to check out. This year San Diego will be hosting the Indi hoops world championship.

This is a tournament where the top 8th grade basketball teams throughout the country will play in a 16 team tournament. Team Thunderstruck out of Lake City, Florida will be one of the participants. Coach Ryan Bell spoke of his excitement for the opportunity to compete against talented teams from other regions.

“I think these kids have worked hard to compete at a high level, and they have something to prove at this tournament,” Bell said. “The players on the team share a close bond and constantly support each other.”

This is a positive experience for players to build memories and tour California. Thunderstruck Players, Marquez Bell and Jordan Smith had all informed me this will be the furthest they’ve travelled from Florida. As they expressed excitement in the chance to explore the West Coast, the anticipation of competing in such a highly publicized event makes it all the sweeter. Various recruits and networks will be on site scouting players throughout the three-day tournament.

Bell revealed a desire for his team to really enjoy the experience, but stressed the importance of performing their best in front of the scouts that will be watching.

“My team knows that we all can do great things when we help each other, and we want to do that while getting some exposure,” Bell said.

When asked what the best things they can do for their team besides scoring in the tournament are, Bell said that he wants to make sure teammates are getting a good amount of rest and preparing for each game the right way. Young noted that he wanted to step up defensively and help keep his teammates motivated whether shots fall or not.

The tourney has been underway since Saturday. Good luck to the Struck family!

#iAmRAWE