The NPBA season begins
“Are you ready to get destroyed tonight, son?” Yaser Khokhar, senior, taunted one of his friends. The subject of his banter is the popular and ever-growing sports group nicknamed NPBA, the Newbury Park Basketball Association.
Newbury Park Basketball Association is a recreational league that gives all high school students a chance to play basketball in an organized fashion. After tryouts on Nov. 17th, the players began to hone their skills in preparation for the upcoming season.
Sam Ellison, senior, plays football for the school, but also participates in NPBA.
“I don’t really have the talent to play with the high school, so I thought it was a great opportunity to play in a rec league with all my friends,” Ellison said.
With less competition, NPBA allows students to focus more on school. The league is not as competitive and teams do not practice as much as the high school team does.
“They let us focus a lot more on school because there’s only one practice a week, so it’s not a huge commitment. (It’s) just for fun, just so you can come out and stay competitive and be able to play if you really want to,” Ellison said.
Another member of NPBA, senior Bharat Rai, disagrees slightly with Ellison’s point of view.
“I think that NPBA gives me the ability to participate in intense and high level basketball with less practice,” Rai said.
Since NPBA has fewer practices it allows for students to “spend more time on other activities” such as additional sports or clubs.
The league also presents an opportunity for high school players like Erich Wuesthoff, senior, to coach their peers in the recreational environment.
“I think NPBA is a good opportunity. Obviously it’s not as competitive and the talent probably isn’t the same as high school, but it’s a good place to make friends, (and) good place to have a good time with the friends you already have,” Wuesthoff said.
Students that enjoy watching high quality basketball games featuring their friends and foes can come spectate and cheer during upcoming NPBA games.
“Everyone is hyped – the players, the fans. It’s going to be a blast,” Rai said.
