The road to the NBA looks simple.

If you’re good enough in high school, you’ll be scouted to play in college. If you do well in the NCAA, you’ll be selected in the NBA draft. But life plans can be altered or re-evaluated between high school and college.

Dino Harris and Jonathan Phelps played for Warren Central and Vicksburg High, respectively, and are now playing semi-pro basketball. Harris plays for the Jackson Showboats of the American Basketball Association and Phelps for the Shreveport-Bossier Mavericks.

Harris and Phelps have returned to Vicksburg this summer to work on their game by playing in the ABA’s River City Summer League at the Jackson Street Community Center. The league, which is actually more of a free agent camp, is hosted by the Jackson Showboats and plays Friday and Saturday of every other weekend through August. Games resume tonight after a two-week break.

“I really love the game of basketball,” Harris said. “Being with the Showboats is a good opportunity to prove myself to the world how good I am.”

Harris played for Warren Central from 2005-09 and described his role on the team as a spark plug. He played fast, ran the court well and was explosive. Harris’ role with the Showboats is to be a defender in addition to providing speed.

After leaving Warren Central, he went to Jones Community College, where he kept pushing himself to get better Harris worked hard to get to this point in his career and wants to go as far as he possibly can.

“He has the athletic ability and the talent and he’s just trying to continue his path. He’s already played in some big games for us,” Showboats coach and general manager Grant Worsley said. “He’s a local kid that’s just taking advantage of the opportunity in arm’s reach.”

Phelps was one of the more talented players during his time at Vicksburg High. A pure scorer, he was named The Vicksburg Post’s Boys Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008. He’s one of only four players to win the award twice.

In the beginning, Phelps thought he would play in the NBA after high school like most athletes. He played at two junior colleges and spent one season at Missouri Western University before his college career ended. After that, he had to find another avenue to continue his career.

Phelps tried out with different ABA teams, but things didn’t work out. He had a son and put his career on hold. He began to doubt his career. Then he met Worsley, tried out for the Showboats and played for them in the 2013-14 season. He was the team’s leading scorer and was selected to the ABA All-Star team.

Phelps went from the Showboats to the Mavericks this season and helped the team win the ABA title. The Mavericks left the ABA at the end of the season to join the Premier Basketball League.

He has set new career goals for himself and wants to perform at a high level.

“I’m just trying to be the best that I can be. If I’m the best I can be there aren’t too many coaches who won’t want me on their team,” Phelps said.

Phelps encourages players looking to play after high school to use the game and let it take them somewhere, and don’t let the game use you. He said the road to the game is not all glitz and glamour; you have to take the good with the bad.

Phelps has worked hard to become a champion with the Mavericks, who have won four consecutive championships.

“This was my first year, and in my first year with them we’ve won the championship. It was amazing, just being put on the right team at the right time,” Phelps said.