The Wildcats have no less than three prep tournaments to handle this month. They entered the State Games this weekend in Greensboro, will host their own Jammin' On The Hill tournament July 11-13 and will play in the East Coast Invitational July 17-20 in Jacksonville.

In between those, somewhere, the Wildcats will have to find time for the Hoops at East Basketball Academy's two sessions. (See "Basketball Camps" at right.)

But East Chapel Hill coach Ray Hartsfield likes it busy.

"We're having a lot of fun right now. I feel good about the way things have been going," Hartsfield said. "I hope I still feel that way at the end of the summer."

Heading into this weekend, the Wildcats were already 11-3 in games played in June against the likes of Lee Senior and Trinity. None of the losses were by more than a basket.

"We've been very competitive this summer," Hartsfield said. "Considering that were graduated four seniors and have no starters back playing with us, that's saying something."

Hartsfield noted that all of his rising juniors and seniors have good playing experience, even without starts during the 2007-08 regular season. And he's got a good crop of ex-JVs that pique his interest, all the more reason he's happy to get them court time in the summer.

Summer play affords prep teams an opportunity to play less familiar teams, get in some work and hone their skills, all without the pressure of wins or losses that affect seedings in the N.C. High School Athletic Association's post-season championships. And summer tournaments attract attention from college coaches, helping high schools showcase their players who would like to play in the NCAA.

Those are two of the biggest reasons Hartsfield started the annual Jammin' On The Hill event.

"Players need that exposure, and we've been getting interested college coaches here," Hartsfield said. "It's not just that. It's wholesome, fun, high school basketball in the right environment. That doesn't always have to be November through March."

The State Games probably attracts the largest and broadest field from North Carolina schools looking to play summer ball. This weekend's tournament in Greensboro featured 40 N.C. teams divided into eight, five-team pools. The Wildcats faced two rounds of pool play in the State Games on Friday and Saturday. (Their pool included familiar intersectional rival Greensboro Dudley.)

The winners of the eight pools begin a single-elimination championship today at 8 a.m. in the Greensboro Coliseum's Special Events Center. The semifinals are at noon, followed by a bronze-medal game at 2 p.m. and the gold-medal game at 4 p.m.

The Wildcats get a week off for the July 4 holiday and then get back to business for Jammin' the following week.

This year's Jammin' tournament features 16 teams, again a mix of local teams like East, Carrboro, Orange and Jordan going against teams from farther away like High Point Andrews, Fayetteville West and (who else?) Dudley.

The East Coast Invitational, played at the Jacksonville Commons, is the 19th annual renewal of the summer tournament Hartsfield used as the model for his invitational. It traditionally attracts some of the best teams from the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast United States, as well as coaches from top NCAA Division I programs.

"I'm really looking forward to getting back to Jacksonville," Hartsfield said. "It's great high school basketball in a great environment."