HAMMOND — Could the next generation’s most valuable player of Boston Celtics Paul Pierce’s caliber be a participant in the upcoming Purdue University Calumet basketball camp? Probably not, but most NBA players started their love for the game learning skills at summer camps.  

Peregrine basketball camp for boys and girls in 2nd through 8th grades begins July 14. The four-day camp starts at 8 a.m. to 11 in the Fitness & Athletic Center gymnasium. Cost is $75 per camper.

Head coach Tom Megyesi, along with players from both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, will teach participants offensive and defensive positioning and shooting, passing and ball-handling skills. Daily competitions include shooting contests and one-on-one, three-on-three and five-on-five games.

Parental permission must be submitted for all participants. For more information, contact the university athletic department at (219) 989-2540.

HAMMOND, Ind. - Kelcey Ackison, a 5-9 point guard from Kokomo, signed to play for the Purdue University Calumet Peregrines next season, which begins on Halloween. Ackison averaged five points and 4.8 assists per game in her senior year, while keeping turnovers to a minimum of two per contest.

At the free throw line, Ackison averaged a 77 percent success rate and 30 percent from the 3-point stripe. She was named a second-team all-conference player in the North Central Conference, and finished among the Top 100 Senior Girls in Indiana Basketball list.  

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HAMMOND, Ind. - Purdue University Calumet’s Linsey Smith (Lake Central) earned first team honors in Division II of the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The senior guard was the leading scorer in the conference averaging 16.9 points per game, and led with most made 3-pointers on the season (23). Smith was honorable mention the past two seasons in Division I of the CCAC.

Honorable mention honors this season went to senior Shannon Dugan (Mother McAuley, Chicago) and freshman point guard Meme Harris (Merrillville). Harris led the conference averaging 4.5 assists per game and Dugan averaged 12.1 ppg, 10th best, overall. Smith and Harris were also among the best free throw shooters in the conference placing third and fourth, respectively. Smith shot 85 percent from the charity stripe and Harris 76 percent.

REC CENTER — Open tryouts for the 2008-2009 women’s basketball season will be held Sunday, April 13, at 5 p.m. in the Fitness and Recreation Center gymnasium located at 2300 173rd Street, Hammond, Ind.

Each student needs to bring a copy of her up-to-date transcript and appropriate clothing for physical activity. Any student planning to attend should contact head coach Tom Megyesi by Thursday, April 10, at (219) 989-2309, or email at megyesit@calumet.purdue.edu.  

PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. — A mixture of poor defense, an off-night for the offense, and an opponent hitting on all cylinders led to an opening round loss for the Peregrines to close out the 2007-08 basketball season.

Trinity Christian College hit 50 percent of its shots in the first half leading to a 50-22 advantage at the intermission and a 92-52 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference win.

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