Playing high school basketball is the goal for many youngsters, especially for those who are just a few years away from competing at that level.

Many local area youth participate in some form of organized basketball to help them prepare for high school basketball.

Torrey Brown is such a player.

Brown is in the seventh grade and is in his fourth year of Hoopsters basketball and this season plays for the Blue Devils.

He said he joined the league because it was more challenging and presented some tough competition.

“Everybody plays more aggressively,” Brown said. “In another league, they wouldn’t play as aggressive.”

Brown was certainly aggressive during the Blue Devils game against the Bruins last week.

He played good defense and handled the ball well against a strong Bruins’ full-court press.

Though the Blue Devils lost to the Bruins, 32-26, Brown said what he liked most about the Hoopsters league was the excitement and close games.

Bruins player Ashley Rasmussen grabbed a key offensive rebound and hit a free throw in the final minutes of the game to help preserve her team’s victory. Rasmussen has played youth basketball for many years.

She said she joined the Hoopsters league because it was a way to help her get ready for the next step and the effort required to play there.

“You learn a lot,” she said. “You learn to play harder.”

Rasmussen certainly played hard against the Blue Devils. She hustled all game long and grabbed key offensive rebounds in the final minutes of play. On one particular play, she out-hustled her teammate Chandler Thomann.

Thomann said the competition of the Hoopsters league was much tougher than his previous league. And he has noticed a big difference in his own game.

“I think it’s a lot more difficult,” Thomann said. “I scored a lot more in Parks and Rec.”

Although his scoring totals were down from last year, Thomann said having girls on the team was a positive because it emphasized the need for teamwork to score more points.

“I think it teaches us to work the ball around more,” he said.

Teamwork and good passing were two things Bruins coach Brian McFall stressed to his team.

McFall said coaching both boys and girls on the same team had not been difficult for him because he focused on utilizing the skills each player brings to the court.

“I view it as each player’s strengths,” he said. “And I totally expect them to play equally hard.”

Although McFall expected his team to have a consistent effort every game, he has noticed the increased talent level in the Hoopsters league.

But at the same time, he knows that the key to having success in basketball was in the framework of the team.

“It’s basketball,” he said. “It’s trying to fit all the pieces together.”