The Sudbury Five, Laurentian Voyageurs and Western Mustangs were clearly the stars of the court on Saturday at Sudbury Arena, but getting a chance to serve as the "Opening Act", so to speak, worked out very nicely for a whole slew of players with the Greater Sudbury Basketball Association (GSBA).

The youth teams took to the court during the intermissions of both OUA match-ups, with both girls' and boys' teams part of the mix and one and all thankful for the opportunity that was presented to them.

"There might be a little more pressure with all of the crowd in the arena, but I think it's pretty cool," stated 16 year old Naomi Burrows, a post player with the GSBA U19 Storm.

"I noticed that the three point line is a little further than what I am used too - and it's a little bit wider, a little more space, but it's still a basketball court."

With her team right in the midst of OBL (Ontario Basketball League) play this winter, the grade 11 student at Ecole secondaire Macdonald-Cartier has been diligent in her approach to isolating those areas of her game that need more work.

"I need to have more contact," said Burrows. "I need to be on the girls more that I play against, more aggressive and stronger with those girls."

And she needs to do so without running into foul trouble.

"It can be a little difficult, but I think there's a good balance I can keep."

It's all part of the ambience that is part of playing club basketball.

"It allows me to be more loud and competitive with my team," said Burrows. "There's more competition - and I just love all of the competition."