Local youngsters that want to learn more about basketball and get the chance to play in a number of games this winter can sign up now for youth or cub basketball.

Deadlines are fast approaching for the programs.

Youth basketball is designed for pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade students and the last day to register is this Friday, Dec. 5.

Games in this youth hoops program will be played on Saturdays in the old gym on the Escalon High School campus starting on Jan. 24.

Cost is $30 for Pre-K (ages 3 to 4) and $35 for kindergarten and first grade students.

Returning for another year, the popular Cub basketball program is aimed at children between seven and 14-years-old and is an eight-week intensive fundamental skills development league coached and refereed by members of the Escalon High School basketball staff and Cougar players. Fee is $50.

Clinic dates are scheduled for Jan. 3 and 10 with ages 7 to 10 meeting from 9 a.m. to noon at the El Portal gym, ages 11 to 14 meeting at the gym from 1 p.m.to 4 p.m.

Once the clinics are completed, players will be placed on teams by age and ability and will be assigned a coach. Game days will consist of one hour skills clinics followed by short scrimmages. Game days begin Jan. 24 and run each Saturday through Feb. 28.

Game blocks for Cub basketball will be 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with games at El Portal and the EHS gym. For more information about the program, contact coach Martin Louro at 505-4537 or mlouro@sjcoe.net.

For registration information, call 691-7372 or visit www.cityofescalon.org.