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MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 22, 2004 South Medford�s Kyle Singler has been participating in several camps all across the country. Hoops Heaven South Medford’s Kyle Singler has spent the summer playing basketball all over the country By KEVIN GOFF Mail Tribune Kyle Singler is living a basketball junkie’s dream. The sophomore-to-be at South Medford is at the tail end of a whirlwind summer hoops schedule that’s taken him all over the country. The 16-year-old hasn’t had much down time, but that’s been fine by him. Singler, who has traveled all over the U.S. playing for the Oregon Select and Portland Legends summer teams, recently ventured to Indianapolis for the Nike All-American Camp. The prestigious invite-only affair, held on the campus of Indiana University, Purdue University at Indianapolis, featured about 180 of the top high school basketball players in the country. Several big-name college coaches such as Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski, Arizona’s Lute Olson and Kentucky’s Tubby Smith were in attendance, along with a handful of pro scouts. Advertisement Kyle’s father, Ed Singler, also made the trip and was impressed by the famous faces in the crowd. "It was kind of like ‘Wow, it’s not everyday you’re sitting around watching basketball with Coach K, Lute Olson and Tubby Smith,’" he says. "That was kind of fun. The whole environment was real neat for the kids." Even under the watchful eye of the coaching elite, and running into the toughest competition he’s faced, Kyle Singler still managed to hold his own on the court. "It was basketball 24-7," says the 6-foot-7 Singler, who helped South Medford to a fourth-place finish at the state Class 4A tournament last season. "They listed me as 10th overall at my position (wing). I think I did pretty good." The camp was split up into different drills and games of 5-on-5 and 3-on-3. Current and former college players and high school coaches acted as instructors. Singler, who was one of only three non juniors and seniors at the camp, had three Oregon teammates with him at the camp in 6-10 center Kevin Love, from Lake Oswego, Lincoln’s Omar Leary and Jefferson’s Brian Morris. "The All-American camp is designed for juniors and seniors," says Ed Singler. "It gave Kyle a good opportunity to compete against some of the best competition." Approximately 170 of the campers were upperclassmen and had been invited to the five-day event. Singler wasn’t initially given an invite, but his impressive performance at the Nike Jamboree Camp in St. Louis in June put his name on the list. "The neat thing about it is he still has the opportunity to play for two more years," says Ed Singler. "He’s found out there are bigger, stronger kids, who right now can jump higher and run faster. But basketball-wise and fundamentally, he found out he can hold his own. "I’d say that probably gave him confidence and some incentive to work on some things." Just as thrilling for Kyle Singler was the chance to meet Michael Jordan, who was in St. Louis watching his son Jeffrey at the Nike Jamboree. "About 50 kids ran over there to meet him," says Singler. "I just went over, shook his hand and introduced myself. "It’s not everyday you get to meet Michael Jordan." Singler’s stay at home was brief following his visit to Indianapolis. Just one day after returning home, he and his Oregon Select teammates traveled to Georgia for a tournament. "The summer’s been pretty busy," says Singler, who’s also gone to New Orleans, Houston and Minneapolis with the Oregon team, and still has a trip to Iowa for the Under-16 Nationals. "It keeps me busy and it’s something fun that I enjoy doing. There hasn’t been a lot of down time." And that’s just the way he likes it. Reach reporter Kevin Goff at 776-4483 or e-mail [email protected] . Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? 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