Middle School Open Run
Group Photo - The players from the Open Run. Photo credit: J4 Hoops.
Trying to get young players to practice better fundamentals!
Nov 13, 2025
In its 8th year presented by Carolina Girls Hoops Report with sponsorship by Publix Supermarkets and the Town of Mooresville North Carolina, Middle School Open Run put 33 middle schoolers ranging from the class of 2030 (mostly) down to the class of 2035 through a series of drills followed by 1v1, 3x3 and concluding with 5x5 play. The event was held on the afternoon of Sunday, November 2, 2025, at the Talbert Rec Center in Mooresville, North Carolina.
Drill work pointed players in the right direction
The presentation of drills was dynamic and energetic. Players were encouraged to follow good fundamentals in dribbling, passing and shooting.
1 v 1 play intense
This session showed some fierce competition between the participants. The younger campers had a separate competition.
3x3 and 5x5 play
These sessions were not very long given the whole camp was only five hours in length. However, by the end of the camp, one could see which players were most advanced. One disappointment seen here and at other middle school events was that too many campers reverted to prior ingrained poorer fundamentals once the event got past 1 v 1 play.
These camps are not vaccination centers
I cannot stress enough that players need to take the fundamentals demonstrated at the camp and work on them back home. Being shown how to do things right does not ensure that you are going to do them right in the future!
Mr. Bob takes questions from parents and players
For about 7 minutes during the day, I answered questions (several below are shared). I also include a few questions that parents asked me away from the group.
1. What is the most lost art in the game? Answer: the midrange jumper [was part of drill session] as so much of today’s play is take the three or attack the rim.
2. What is the one thing missed in evaluating college prospects? To answer in one word “heart” or more elaborately, how much does a player want to give everything to achieve the stated goal of playing beyond high school. A lot of players say they “want to be good” but a lot fewer are willing to put in the long hours to achieve this goal. One cannot always see this while watching a game.
3. What would you recommend in particular to the 5th graders and younger players here? I would prefer not to see them shooting at the ten-foot basketball as it can create and reenforce poor shooting form (elbows out; releases starting toward the hip) that can be hard to break. Also, I would recommend younger players be involved with other sports. Encourage balance in sports and otherwise in these youngsters’ lives.
4. What is your take on the high volume of transfers in A. college and B. high school? For college, basketball has become somewhat mercenary in at least a few cases players doing four colleges in four years chasing playing time and financial compensation. Loyalty and honest communication (sadly too much say A; do B) are being lost. I would like to see NCAA Division 1 penalty-less transfers be limited to one. For high school, young people generally thrive best in a stable environment. Parents of a student-athlete and the student-athlete need to look at available options before going into high school. Do research on the success of the sports program (here girls’ basketball) in question! Does the team do just the minimum or do they play in any shootouts or tournaments beyond league play? The goal should be to start and finish at the same high school.
The players below stood out as the most advanced in some way at the camp. This was to some extent a reflection of age and physical development. Just because a player at this camp is not mentioned below, it should not deter them if success in basketball is their dream. Players below are mentioned in alphabetical order with height (most still growing), position, graduation year with school/club information, home state as available in parenthesis.
Courtlyn Bost, 5-3, guard, 2031 (Mooreville Middle School/Team ISH/NC)
Decent stroke for age, hopefully still growing.
Keilyn Burgess, 6-0, forward, 2030 (Southwest Charlotte STEM Academy/One Force Academy/ NC)
Long bouncy stride; has athletic upside.
Doniela Dunbar, 5-6, guard, 2030 (Bluffton Middle School/SC)
Long bouncy athlete with skills developing.
Danica Glenn, 5-10, wing, 2030 (Greenville Fishers Middle School/FBC United We Trust/SC)
Lefty, smooth to the rim; ok stroke; needs to work on going right; well advanced for age.
Calia Jackson, 5-5, guard, 2030 (Rock Hill Dutchman Creek Middle School/SC)
Athletic, bouncy player with high motor attacking basket.
Bre’ly Knox, 5-3, point guard, 2031 (Rock Hill Dutchman Creek Middle School/SC)
Productively quick on D; decent stroke; good basketball IQ; advanced for age; hopefully still growing.
Haven Land, 5-7, guard, 2030 (Fort Mill Middle School/SC)
Most advanced all-around skills of any player at camp; already receiving major D1 offers; just needs to keep progressing.
Zoey Longsworth, 5-9, wing, 2030 (Cardinal Charter Academy/CP3 Flames/NC)
Showed power and physicality in attacking rim.
Cadence Roberts, 5-10, forward, 2030 (Mooresville Selma Burke Middle School/Team ISH/NC)
Athletic, long build; skills still developing.
Paris Russell, 5-7, shooting guard, 2031 (Legacy Early College/Her Elite/SC)
Appeared to be most advanced shooter in camp still needing to translate that skill into 5x5 game setting.
Aubriana Shojgreen, 5-7, guard, 2030 (Jacksonville Northwoods Park Middle School/Lady Phoenix East/NC)
Uses body effectively in attacking rim with power; won 1 v 1 contest.