Rockies & NOCO Triple Threat are partnering up
A pair of northern Colorado-based basketball clubs have formed a partnership that will strengthen both. Rockies Basketball and NOCO Triple Threat recently announced an agreement to work together, merging their clubs. Both programs have teams that span many age groups…
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Continue ReadingA pair of northern Colorado-based basketball clubs have formed a partnership that will strengthen both.
Rockies Basketball and NOCO Triple Threat recently announced an agreement to work together, merging their clubs. Both programs have teams that span many age groups at the youth and high school level and the merger is designed to create more competitive challenges and opportunities for their players.
“One of the things that we’ve had the benefit of is being the only Blue Star club in the state,” Rockies Basketball director Johnnie Bratton said. “When the NOCO Triple Threat guys contacted the folks at Blue Star, they sent him in my direction and wanted him to come in under the Rockies umbrella so that those kids have the same benefit that our kids have had for the past eight years.
“Now, we can give those kids an opportunity to play a high level of competition. We’re happy to share in that because it’s about the kids and getting them some exposure, and providing opportunities.”
As a newly-named Rockies Triple Threat Basketball team, getting to play Blue Star will expose the younger Triple Threat players to a higher level of out-of-state competition.
The infusion of Triple Threat’s predominantly younger talent that has experienced a lot of success locally and at the regional level, and is particularly strong in the 2023 and 2024 classes, should strengthen the upper levels of the club. Beginning work on strong fundamentals and getting players developing chemistry while playing together earlier in a deeper talent pool are other added benefits Bratton and Triple Threat coordinator Todd Matkin expect, as well as creating economies of scale that generate benefits they hope to be able to pass on to families.
“Now we can collaborate and help these kids develop at a younger age,” Bratton said. “It’s important to help them build those fundamentals and those skill sets, otherwise our kids in Colorado will continue to be overshadowed by other programs at the national level.”
The Rockies 2023 class already includes up-and-coming talents like Brooke Murrell (Thomas Jefferson HS), Juliana Garcia (Vanguard) and Briasia Johnson (Denver South) who are likely to make an impact for their high school teams this winter.
Triple Threat also has plenty of 2023 talent including Delaney Matkin and Abby Saville, who will play for Rocky Mountain, as well as Miranda Wiedeman and Taryn Kravig, who will play for University.