It’s not easy leaving spring break early to play in an AAU tournament
Carson Schick of the Grand Rapids Storm puts up a shot at the Storm Classic on Saturday, April 12, 2025. He’s a junior at Forest Hills Central High School. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Carson Schick sprinted into the gym with an orange Grand Rapids Storm jersey in his hands.
His team was already in the second quarter on Saturday at the Storm Classic at MSA Fieldhouse.
So the junior from Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central quickly changed in the locker room and came out wearing a No. 0 jersey.
Just like Clark Kent changing in a phone booth into his Superman outfit.
“We flew from Miami to Detroit,” Schick said. “Then I drove from Detroit here to Grand Rapids just a few minutes ago. My jersey was in my coach’s car and our game had already started.”
Playing a travel basketball tournament on the tail end of spring break can be challenging.
A lot of West Michigan players came back with tans and were a little rusty.
“It’s hard to play after a long car ride,” Rockford junior Drew Ferwerda said.
Schick and Ferwerda play for the Grand Rapids Storm’s GBL 16U team, which is coached by Josh Flemming.
Drew Ferwerda, of the Grand Rapids Storm, competes in the Storm Classic on Saturday, April 12, 2025. He’s a junior at Rockford High School. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
Ferwerda, a lanky forward, was in Destin, Florida for break.
“I couldn’t find a court to play on down there,” he said.
Zay Larthridge had the same problem. The junior from Grand Rapids Catholic Central was also in Florida, but without a place to play.
“I’ve been a little rusty (today) because I’ve been gone for spring break,” he said on Saturday. “They didn’t have any hoops down there where I was. So I couldn’t get any shots up.”
Larthridge is playing for the Indiana Game this week at the Storm Classic.
Harper Huntington went on a much longer journey to get to his basketball tournament in St. Louis this weekend. His family actually drove from Florida to Missouri.
“We were in Treasure Island, Florida,” said Huntington, who is a sophomore at Grand Haven. “We drove to Memphis and stayed the night there. Then yesterday we drove seven hours to Kansas City for our tournament. It wasn’t that bad. We got here about about three hours before the game. It was tough getting out of the car and not being fully stretched.”
Huntington is playing for Northcoast Premier 16U. He said the 20-hour trip didn’t help his legs.
“Sitting in the car and waiting until you can play was not fun,” Huntington said. “It took me a couple minutes to just get ready.”
Harper Huntington, of Northcoast Premier, shoots a 3-pointer during a tournament in Chicago on Saturday, March 29, 2025. He is a sophomore at Grand Haven High School. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
His Northcoast teammate Max Zichterman didn’t have that problem. But he barely made it to Friday’s game on time.
“Some of them flew,” Huntington said of his teammates. “Max flew and showed up just before the game. The other people who drove felt the same way as me.”
So does he regret cutting his vacation short to play in a tournament?
“Yeah, but I’d rather play basketball than stay in Florida,” Huntington said. “I like Florida, but I like basketball more.”
Schick and his family were in the Florida Keys.
“I didn’t think I’d get here,” he said on Saturday. “I missed two games already yesterday (Friday). I couldn’t find a court in the Keys. Just small beaches.”
Schick did look a little rusty in his first game, but once he got his legs, he scored a few times and was back to normal. But with a nicer tan.
Carson Schick of the Grand Rapids Storm guzzles down a bottle of water at the Storm Classic on Saturday, April 12, 2025. He got to the game late after flying home from spring break in Florida. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).
