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Bryce Alford to feel right at home again in visit to Albuquerque
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A decade has passed now since that magical, record-setting senior season of basketball Bryce Alford had at La Cueva High School.
There have been high-profile years spent playing at UCLA and several seasons under his belt in a strong overseas professional basketball playing career, not to mention his being married and a father to a 14-month-old son in Phoenix. And yet Alford鈥檚 New Mexico roots and that La Cueva DNA remain.
He always has proudly called Albuquerque his hometown and will be back again next week hosting his second Bryce Alford basketball camp back at La Cueva.
鈥淚 really enjoy any excuse I have for going back to Albuquerque. I use (the camp) because I don鈥檛 get to come back as much as I鈥檇 like,鈥� Alford, 28, told the Journal on Wednesday. 鈥淎ny way that I can give back to the youth, especially on the basketball side, because I know how I know how much the community there loves basketball, is good for me.鈥�
Registrations are still being accepted for the camp, the second Alford has held at his old high school. It runs Monday through Thursday (July 17-20) at La Cueva, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. with lunch provided. It is open to boys and girls in third through ninth grades 鈥� a demographic probably not all that familiar with the namesake of the camp they鈥檒l be attending.
鈥淵eah, we鈥檙e banking on the parents remembering,鈥� Alford joked.
As for his playing days, Alford is coming off his best professional season, averaging just a shade under 14 points and 4 assists this past year for Zastal Zielona G贸ra in the first division of Poland鈥檚 pro league.
He said he has several enticing offers for where he will play next and doesn鈥檛 yet have a set time frame on when he will hang up the sneakers.
鈥淵ou know, I鈥檝e been lucky (in my playing career),鈥� Alford said. 鈥淚 haven鈥檛 had any major injuries. So my body feels good. And I鈥檓 not somebody who jumps out of the gym as part of his game, so it鈥檚 not like I鈥檓 losing athleticism and it鈥檚 hurting. My game hasn鈥檛 changed. So, I feel like I can play for as long as I want to.鈥�
He noted that while he still has a love for basketball, the birth of his son over a year ago did shift the perspective for the first time to basketball sometimes being a job. Decisions now are about finances and family 鈥� young A.J. and his wife, Ali, an Albuquerque native herself. He said he was fortunate to have both of them live with him during this past season in Poland.
For the immediate future, though, he feels there are still plenty of shots to shoot in a gym overseas somewhere. As such, he鈥檒l be getting in some on-court workouts during the campers鈥� lunch hour next week.
鈥淭he shooting never goes away,鈥� Alford said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 when they start chanting 鈥楧unk it! Dunk it! Dunk it!鈥� That鈥檚 when things get a little tougher now. But I鈥檒l muster up a dunk or two for them. Who knows how long I鈥檒l be able to do that?鈥�
THOSE ALFORD BOYS: While Bryce and big brother Kory Alford, who just completed his third season coaching at Huntington, an NAIA school in Indiana, are still forging their own basketball paths, a new wave of Alford boys is about to take over.
Bryce鈥檚 son, A.J., is 14 months old and Kory and his wife Haley, also from Albuquerque, earlier this month welcomed their first child, a son named Kai.
And, like many grandparents, Steve and Tanya Alford are very much all in on their new roles.
鈥淥h, yeah, they love it,鈥� Bryce said of his parents becoming grandparents. 鈥淢y dad will find any excuse to get out to Phoenix and see A.J. They ask for FaceTime and videos about every other hour.鈥�
WANNA CAMP? Registration and more details on costs and requirements for next week鈥檚 Bryce Alford camp can be found on the camp鈥檚 website at .
