Brew Crew

With summer officially here, there are basketball camps going all across Northwest Arkansas.  For basketball junkies like me, it’s a chance to see former Hog players give back to the state and community that provided them with so many memories and so much support during their time as Razorbacks.

And like Coach Pelphrey’s camp earlier this month, it’s also great to see kids getting a chance to grow their basketball skills and knowledge, while still having fun sharing the court with one of their Razorback heroes.

Last week, former Hog Ronnie Brewer hosted his ‘Brew Crew’ camp, the inaugural edition of what is sure to be many in the future by the Utah Jazz guard-forward, who was drafted into the NBA one year ago today.

Held last week at the Donald W. Reynolds Boys & Girls Club in Fayetteville, Brewer got some help from another well-known former Razorback.  The man affectionately known as “Boot” — Ron Brewer, Sr.

The camp was a high-energy and frenzied mix of drills and contests to test campers mentally and physically.  The campers were put through a ‘Boot Camp,’ and the phrase “hustle up” was common throughout the week.  As were the whistles from both Ron, Sr. and Ronnie, who seemed to enjoy the opportunity to share their basketball knowledge with a future generation of hoopsters.

Seeing Ronnie again made me think of both the end of the Nolan era, and the beginning of Stan Heath’s time on The Hill.  Ronnie had some great moments here — making clutch baskets, hitting timely 3-pointers, or making a steal for one of his electrifying dunks.  But I think most fans will remember him like I do — as someone who rescued the Razorback basketball program at a low point in its history.

It would certainly be difficult to discuss the entire history of Razorback basketball without discussing the Brewer family.  And when last week was over, it was the ‘family affair’ of both Ronnie and his father (and mother, too) who helped make the camp a success.

And who knows…maybe it helped instill the ‘love of the game’ in a future generation, who will dream about wearing “Razorbacks” across their jersey someday.