SAVANNAH — Before travel basketball became a year-round business and teams spent their summers on the road, there was the Savannah High School Summer Basketball League.
Twenty-six years later, it is still going strong.
Every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday throughout June, players, coaches, and basketball fans gather at Savannah High School for one of the longest-running summer basketball leagues in the Coastal Empire.
The league was founded in 1999 by former Savannah High School head coach Tim Jordan and began play in the summer of 2000 when the new Savannah High School opened its gymnasium. Jordan, who now serves as an assistant athletic director with the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System, remains actively involved with the summer league today.
"In the old building on Washington Avenue, it wasn't feasible because the gym was small," Jordan said. "When the new school was opened, we could do it, and we had two full courts, so we could run two games at the same time."
What started as an opportunity for local teams to get quality summer competition has grown into a tradition that continues to benefit players and programs across the area.
"It gives coaches a chance to coach and players a chance to play with a little less pressure," Jordan said. "You can try different things, different positions and see what works."
Jordan believes the league has lasted because Savannah has always been a basketball town.
"Savannah has always been a basketball city," Jordan said. "It gives kids something positive to do during the summer. The competition is always intense because these kids know each other. They play together, against each other, and the rivalries carry over."
Savannah High boys basketball coach George Brown, left, stands with summer league founder Tim Jordan during the 26th year of the Savannah High School Summer Basketball League. (Prep Sports Report photo)
Current Savannah High head coach George Brown is now helping carry on the tradition.
"I'm just trying to keep the blueprint going," Brown said. "This league has produced state champions and teams that have made deep playoff runs. The competition is right here in our backyard."
Brown said summer league play allows coaches to evaluate chemistry, leadership, and how players fit together before the regular season begins.
"We're trying to see how our team fits together and what we need to improve before the season starts," Brown said.
South Effingham coach Rico Campbell has been part of the league for nearly 15 years, first at Johnson High School and now at South Effingham.
A South Effingham player drives to the basket against Islands during Savannah High Summer Basketball League action. (Prep Sports Report photo)
"You get a chance to see your whole team and see what happens when they're playing against somebody else," Campbell said. "The competition is always good, and it fits perfectly into our summer schedule. We can play a lot of games without having to travel far, and it helps us see where we are as a team before the season gets here."
New Islands High School head coach Terry Hines said the competition is what keeps coaches coming back year after year.
An Islands player attacks the lane against South Effingham during Savannah High Summer Basketball League action. (Prep Sports Report photo)
"The competition is what makes it special," Hines said. "Summer league gives us a chance to see our strengths and weaknesses without spending a lot of money traveling to camps."
AE Beach coach Simon Heyward agrees.
"It's a measuring stick," Heyward said. "You find out what you have, what you need to work on and who is going to step up as a leader."
A Beach player goes up for a shot against Bethesda Academy during Savannah High Summer Basketball League action. (Prep Sports Report photo)
The games may not count in the standings, but anyone who has spent time inside the gym knows the intensity is real. Many of the players know each other from youth basketball, AAU teams, and neighborhood rivalries. Bragging rights are always on the line.
And that is one reason the league continues to thrive.
Twenty-six years later, the formula still works.
A Jenkins player drives to the basket against Woodville-Tompkins during Savannah High Summer Basketball League action. (Prep Sports Report photo)
Coaches get valuable game experience. Players get better. Fans get an early look at the next generation of Savannah basketball.
Most importantly, it keeps young athletes in the gym, competing and growing during the summer months.
That is something Jordan is proud of.
"It gives kids and teams something positive," Jordan said. "As long as it's helping players and programs grow, that's something to be proud of."
More than a quarter-century after it began, the lights are still on at Savannah High School, and Savannah basketball is still showing up.
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