SLIPPERY ROCK — It's steamy in the Rock Box on a hot and muggy summer afternoon.

In fact, the Rock Box could be renamed the Sweat Box as the large fan blowing in the corner simply stirs the sweltering air.

But in this oven of a gymnasium, hard work is being done, work that won't show dividends until the chill of late fall and until the frigid winds of winter blow.

For the second straight summer, SlipperyRock HighSchool is hosting a summer basketball league.

This year, the field is 18 teams strong, featuring area hoop teams from Slippery Rock, Butler, Mars, Moniteau, Karns City, Union and A-C Valley.

And the action is as hot as the temperature.

"That's what I want to do here," said Slippery Rock boys basketball coach Sean Strickland. "I wanted to open up a league so the kids have a place to play. That's how you learn the game — you keep playing and playing and playing."

The summer league was Strickland's brainchild. He started the league last year and had 12 teams. This year, that number increased by 50 percent.

Slippery Rock's location is ideal for summer league. The school is located a mere jump shot away from three districts.

And don't think this is just casual basketball. These teams want to win — badly.

Three weeks into the league, Moniteau coach Randy Armagost is amazed at how competitive the games have been.

"To me, I want to play the toughest teams night in and night out," Armagost said. "Some of these games are a lot tougher and harder than some of the games in the winter."

Each of the 18 teams play seven games during the five-week schedule. Teams play 20-minute halves with a running clock except for the final minute of play.

All 18 teams will make the playoffs, which will be held in an all-day tournament July 21.

Last year Farrell won the league title, beating Slippery Rock in the finals.

Strickland said the experience the Steelers received in the Slippery Rock summer league gave them a boost during the winter

Farrell went 23-4, losing to eventual PIAA Class AA runner-up Jeannette in the state playoffs.

"We provide T-shirts to the champions," Strickland said, smiling. "It's not a lot, but it provides bragging rights."

Strickland would like nothing more than to see his team slip on the 2007 championship T-shirts. For now, though, he's just trying to keep the league growing.

"Last year, I had no number in mind. I was happy to just get 12," Strickland said. "This year we had 20, but two teams had to back out. Next year, I honestly believe we can get to at least 24 and above. There are some really good programs out there that have shown interest in playing here. It's going to be so much fun for the kids. It's going to take off and have its own life."

Strickland's only lament has been his inability to use the new Slippery Rock High gym, which is under repair.

But he'll finally get his chance to use the facility, which opened last fall, in two weeks.

"The toughest part about the league the past two years is not being able to get into the new gym," Strickland said. "One of the reasons why we do this league is because we want to promote Slippery Rock, its facilities, its community, its people. When our main facility, our showcase, is down, it makes it difficult."

Strickland has added a wrinkle to the summer league, too. He doesn't just want to showcase the teams and the Slippery Rock facilities. He wants to showcase the players, too.

So, he invited as many as 20 Division III coaches from Pennsylvania, Ohio and even New York to come to the summer league to evaluate talent and perhaps snag a player that might have otherwise gone unnoticed.

"Sean is doing a nice job bringing in some college coaches," Armagost said. "This is the first summer league I've been in the last six years that has done anything like that."

Grove City College men's basketball coachSteve Lamie is always on the lookout for new talent.

He said there is no more convenient place to get it than the Slippery Rock summer league.

"It's eight miles down the road," the coach said. "We can see everyone locally in five hours in one night. I really thank (Strickland) for doing this. I always wondered why this didn't happen sooner."

Strickland has gone as far as having all of the senior players in the league fill out a questionnaire, which he hands out to the college coaches who attend.

"I brought my questionnaire," Lamie said. "But I don't even need it. A lot of the Division III schools in this area have pretty demanding academic standards, so this helps prevent us from chasing a kid who we can never hope to get.

"I hope they continue this so we can come back, sit here and get more names."