LAS PALMAS de GRAN CANARIA (Spain)—When you hit a home run with one of the most innovative and successful select programs in grass roots basketball, just exactly what do you do for an encore? If you’re Mike Flynn and have been at the forefront of the game through change after change for over 40 years…you do what you’ve always done…take it step further. In this case, a continent further.
In three short years Blue Star 30 has established itself as one of the most coveted invitations among the next generation of talent looming on the horizon of the game. If you doubt that lofty assertion, check out the 2019 USA U16 National Team where 9 of 12 members can also proudly point to Blue Star 30 on their basketball résumés. So, it only stood to reason that the next logical step would be to see if Blue Star 30 translates to the international landscape which ultimately led to the first annual Blue Star 30 Europe slated for this weekend on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria.
Exploiting the unquestioned resource of Blue Star Europe’s Dan Bowmaker, Flynn would appear to have found similar promise for the Blue Star 30 brand across the pond. Bowmaker, who’s experience and actual European residence sets him apart from the rest of the international recruiting service crowd, began the selection process over a year ago. He, along with the help of Paul Nilsen and Pierre Ploszajski of Blue Star Media put together a 30 player roster making up one of the deepest pools of European talent ever gathered in a single camp. There are 22 players graduating in the 2022 class while the remaining 8 will follow them a year later in 2023. Geographically 15 different countries are represented on the roster that genetically…for what it’s worth…also includes the younger sisters of two separate UConn commitments.
While the first action on the floor isn’t scheduled until Friday morning, players were actively involved with registration, media and physio activities Thursday afternoon at the host hotel, the Bull Reina Isabel and Spa located right on the Playa de Las Canteras beachfront. The three day event will be held on the campus of the beautiful Canterbury International School, home of the renowned Canterbury Lions Basketball Club, just four kilometers from Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
Mike, Dan, Paul, Pierre, Blue Star Asia’s Renee Johnson-Allen as well as this writer will be in the gym start to finish along with an accomplished staff of coaches directing all the basketball drills, skills and competition. Check back frequently throughout the weekend with Blue Star Media and across social media platforms for updates, evaluations, images, video and more.
