COMMUNITY: Summer basketball back in C.R.

CEDAR RAPIDS - Gyms will not fall silent in Cedar Rapids this summer thanks to the Cedar Rapids College Summer League.

The brainchild of Jason Pershing, the league is entering its third year. Teams are made of primarily local college and high school players.

Coe, Cornell, Kirkwood, Mount Mercy and Upper Iowa dot the rosters and include former area prep standouts like Bruce Sain, Matt Lassen and Jacob Hay. Sain is a player coach.

Pershing, a former player at Mount Mercy who was recently named head boys' basketball coach at Solon, has seen the league grow from the start.

'It's progressed from just an idea on getting guys a place to play,” Pershing said.

This year's league is made up of six teams with games being played on Thursday nights and Sunday afternoons at the Hennessey Recreation Center on Mount Mercy University's campus. The league was inspired, in part, by the Prime Time league in North Liberty.

'It's exactly like (Prime Time) in its ability to be a constructive outlet for players to work on their skills while competing against different levels of competition,” Pershing said.

Each team has a title sponsor and a player-coach. Games are organized and include a game clock, referees and statistics.

Action starts this today with the first game at 3 p.m. The league runs through July 17.

Admission is free.