COLUMBUS, Ohio -- More than 80 kids from third through ninth grade participated in the Mid Ohio Pumas x 270 Hoops Summer Skills 5-on-5 Camp this week at Bill McDonald Sports Complex.

The event was ran by a cast of top coaches, as Dallas Mavericks shooting coach Peter Patton ran the majority of the camp, instructing the participants on the art of shooting the basketball and all the elements to the perfect shot. Patton's instruction, combined with Denison University associate head coach Chris Sullivan, helped each camper improve over the course of the week.

The camp was run in a 5-on-5 setting which helped the participants understand how winning basketball is played and how they can make an impact both with and without the ball. 

Campers went through team shooting drills and competitions, sharpening their skills while competing at a high level. Shooting mechanics were broken down to the simplest level, as campers got the chance to learn from the likes of Patton, who works with the some of the greatest shooters in the world in Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic of the Mavericks. 

Monday's portion was partly led by Hilliard Bradley head coach Brett Norris, who taught the elements of the Jaguars' infamous pack line defense to the campers. Norris helped the players understand the roles that each player has in running a successful defense, as these elements were then brought to the floor in the 5-on-5 games later that morning.

Dublin Coffman head coach Jayme Collins was on hand to teach campers the elements of the Rocks' high-powered motion offense, which helped each participant apply that knowledge during the games. Collins helped teach why off ball movement is so important and how players and teams can put themselves in great positions to succeed by being in the right places, communicating and taking and making good shots. 

Campers competed in team and individual competitions, elevating one another and putting on a memorable shooting clinic for all to see.

We got a chance to see some rising prospects who could end up being the next great players in Central Ohio, while more importantly getting to see young basketball players not only have fun, but enjoy the process of improving. 

Mid Ohio Pumas and 270 Hoops will converge one more time this summer in July for the second camp series - The Elite Shooting and Skills Camp. All players in second through 12th grade are eligible to participate. The camp will run July 23-25 from 8:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. at Bill McDonald Sports Complex. You can register for that camp here. 

From left to right

Noah McCreary (4th grade) - McCreary put on a show in winning the 3rd-4th grade 1-on-1 competition. The rising fourth grader did an outstanding job scoring it off the bounce, executing a few difficult finishes and showing a nice ability to create separation. 

Charlie Freiburger (5th grade) - The future Upper Arlington Golden Bear put on a dazzling scoring display with his ability to create off the dribble. Freiburger has a tight handle, lots of wiggle to his game and an ability to knock down contested shots.

Bubba Mirgon (5th grade) - Mirgon has great size for a fifth grader. We like the confidence and bravado he plays with. Has a really nice outside stroke and can make plays for himself and others. Mirgon, a future Hilliard Bradley Jaguar, is a tough customer who will fill in perfectly with the program in a few years. 

Maurice McCall (8th grade) - McCall is a player to watch. The 6-foot wing guard attends Columbus South Middle School and was very impressive with and without the ball. McCall has a natural smoothness to his game, can really get places off the dribble and showed the elements of being a skilled finisher around the basket. We loved McCall's feel for the game and the impact he made as a teammate on both ends of the floor. The South Bulldog has an advanced IQ for his age, which combined with his athletic gifts, could really take him places in the future. We think he has a chance to develop into one of the better players in the area if he continues to improve as a shooter.