TEANECK, N.J. -- Inside the press box at Fairleigh Dickinson University's George and Phyllis Rothman Gym, the writers and coaches at the adidas ABCD summer camp watch nonchalantly as the action unfolds on the floor below. A glass partition dulls the squeak of sneakers and muffles the shouts of the players. Campers are referred to only by number, as if they were inmates. Stat sheets rustle and printers whir.

But if you go courtside, you realize that the players aren't taking themselves nearly as seriously as everyone else is. For this collection of mostly 16 and 17-year-olds, the summer camp is just that -- summer camp. They wrestle playfully, sometimes during stoppages in their own games. They chase each other. They scream like delighted little kids whenever a teammate hammers home a dunk. Sure, they happen to be prodigiously talented at basketball, but that doesn't change the fact that they're still teenagers.

It's not that the players are oblivious to the Kryzewskis, Izzos and Olsons sitting in the nearby stands. It's just that they're used to Mike, Tom and Lute by now, and they're easily distracted.

Kobe Bryant made a brief appearance on Saturday. Stephon Marbury stopped by to watch his 14-year-old cousin Sebastian Telfair (the camp's youngest invitee, who won't even start high school for another few months). There was also a visit from DeShawn Stevenson, the recent first-round pick of the Utah Jazz, who played with most of these kids on the summer camp circuit a year ago.

When the prospects turn their attention to the court -- they play two games a day for four days -- the focus is on the flashy move. The smart play often yields to the exciting one. Defense is rare and passing consists mainly of alley-oops that are liberally doled out by the camps' guards. This breakneck style results in plenty of impressive dunks. So if you wanna hear some cheers, you had better do something your friends have only seen on SportsCenter.

For example: 6-foot, 160-pound point guard Terrance Ford brazenly calls for an alley-oop pass in his team's final game, despite giving up 10 inches and 100 pounds to opposing center Robert Little II. As Ford elevates well above the rim -- and the fans gasp as they realize David is about to posterize Goliath -- Little hammers the guard to preserve his pride. The contact sends Ford tumbling into the bench underneath the basket, where members of the opposing team shower him with high-fives and hugs for his effort. The crowd is equally appreciative.

The players' relentless energy and drive to impress culminated in the Senior All-Star Game, which was the final event of the camp on Monday night. The free-for-all featured so many dunk attempts that it seemed as if other types of baskets didn't count.

In the closing seconds of the White team's 176-141 victory (the ABCD All-Star formula: 15-minute quarters - defense = old-time Loyola Marymount-like scoring), 6'6" forward Quemont Greer made a thunderous dunk in traffic, bringing the house to its feet. The campers stood in unison, descended the bleachers and hustled out the back door of the gym.

Next stop on the circuit: the adidas Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas. At this weekend's pace, they'll get there by tomorrow.