Despite losing a number of teams due to weather issues from Tropical Storm Claudette, New Iberia Senior High School’s Battle N Da Berry team basketball camp went off without a hitch Friday and Saturday at Catholic High, Highland Baptist and Anderson Middle School.

“I got to give credit to the coaches, they really wanted to play,” NISH coach Todd Russ said. “They wanted to get better and they told me, ‘Coach, let’s do it.’

“We lost some teams due to the weather but we still got the majority of teams to come and play and it worked out well.”

A number of local teams participated in the team camp, including host NISH along with Catholic High and Highland Baptist, Jeanerette, Loreauville, ESA and St. Martinville.

Russ said that it was a good chance for his team to play against some competition and get better.

“Just playing guys and trying to compete and get better,” Russ said. “That was what we held the camp for, for teams to come in and compete and get better.”

CHS coach Josh Guilbeau said that the camp allowed him to give his team some practice time.

“Summer is a different animal,” the CHS coach said. “We try to do a lot of things differently during the summer. We give different kids a lot of reps they need to try to prepare them for the regular season.”

Jeanerette coach Dwayne Alexander also saw a chance for his team to get some practice and get better.

“We have a bunch of young kids who don’t have a lot of experience,” he said. “Then we have three sophomore last year who are starters and we need them to be leaders and this gives them the chance to do that.

“It gives me a chance to see what I have going into next season.”

The newest coach in the area, Highland’s Colby Batiste, saw a lot from his team in the two-day camp.

“We played Acadiana, Northside, St. Martinville. Those are some top quality teams and I saw that my kids can compete with them,” Batiste. “It showed me where my team is and what we need to work on as we head into the new season come November.”