UNDER THE BANNER
What's Going On In and Around Black College Sports
HOOPS ALL-STAR TILT: The World Basketball Association (WBA) Foundation will host their first National Black College All Star Basketball Showcase Saturday at Atlanta's Morehouse College. The top
men's
and women's black college senior basketball stars, including
several black college conference players of the year, will get a
chance to expose their talents to both U. S. and
international scouts at the two-day affair which culminates
with Saturday's games. "This is a much needed event that
will showcase the top men and the top women athletes
from Historically Black Colleges and Universities from across
the country," stated Leroy McMath, President of the
World Basketball Association, sponsor of the event.
"Historically, black college basketball players have been over looked
when it comes to traditional college all-star games, and the
WBA Foundation is taking the opportunity to provide a outlet
to make this a consistent reality." The women's game will
begin Saturday at 5:30 p.m. followed by the men's game at
7:30 p.m. Former Hampton and NBA star Rick Mahorn
will serve as coach of the men's East team that includes
players from the CIAA, MEAC and
EIAC. Former Coppin State player and coach
Stephanie Ready will coach the women's East squad. Former Morehouse standout
Harold Ellis will lead the women's West team made up of players from
the SWAC and SIAC. Former Albany State
and NBA veteran Caldwell Jones handles the West
men. Among the men's stars are SWAC Player of the Year,
Attarius Norwood of Mississippi Valley
State, CIAA Player of the Year, Desmond Peoples
of St. Augustine's, SIAC Player of the Year,
Flem Tucker of Albany State. On the women's side,
Clark-Atlanta' Jennifer Stegall was the SIAC's outstanding
player while Tamikey Hindsman of Barber-Scotia
won the award in the EIAC. The WBA is a new league that bills itself as
the first professional basketball league to teach, develop,
and expose players to the NBA, NBDL, ABA, CBA, and
International Scouts. According to its website
(www.wbaball.net), the eight-team league will play a 20-game schedule that
will begin April 29. Rosters for Saturday's all-star games
are listed below.
EAST
Antoinette Reese, Coppin State; Nicole Brathwaite, Hampton; Camille Akins, NC A&T; Yolanda Dixon, Florida A&M; Tiffany Winkfield, Md. E.-Shore; Sharon Atkins, Va. Union; Danielle Hoggard, Va. Union; Margiella Mobley, Shaw; Tiona Beatty, NC Central; Joi Surratt, JC Smith; Latasha Shipman, Shaw; Tamikey Hindsman, Barber-Scotia; Shernita McNeil, Voorhees
WEST
Amie Williams, Jackson State; Jennifer Stegall, Clark-Atlanta;
Pamela Butler, Albany State; Scherwanda Boston, Grambling State;
Latesha Lee, Jackson State; Carolyn Hopkins, Prairie View; Jacquline
Tucker, Xavier; Andeiette Roberts, Clark-Atlanta; Kim Cue, Benedict;
Chenel Kendall, Tuskegee
EAST
Jimmy Boykin, Coppin State; Terrence Woods, Florida A&M; Tee Trotter, Md. E.Shore; Demarcus Wilkins, Florida A&M; Desmond Peoples, St. Augustine's; Anthony Greenup, Shaw; David Young, NC Central; Anton Jenifer, Bowie State; Jonathan Harris, Elizabeth City State; Kenny Haywood, Fayetteville State; Melvin Whitaker, NC Central; Darren Green, Morris; Ronald Roundtree, Barber-Scotia; Renaldo Norman, Edward Waters; Clint Perkins, Voorhees; Michael Daniel, Voorhees
WEST
Attarius Norwood, Miss. Valley St.; Paul Haynes, Grambling
State; Ishmael Joyce, Jackson State; Terry Horton, Alabama A&M;
Ronald Thompson, Morehouse; Flem Tucker, Albany State; Mike
Moran, Clark-Atlanta; Yari Scott, Paine; Allen Early, Fort Valley
State; Roderick Riley, Prairie View; Lionel Willis, Texas Southern;
Eugene Jackson, Benedict; Edward Mack, Miss. Valley State
MORE HOOPS ALL-STARS: Following the tremendous success of the 2003 Procter & Gamble Ohio Classic football game last year, the Ohio Classic has announced the creation of the Black College All-Star Basketball Game scheduled for Saturday, May 1, 2004 at Gund Arena in Cleveland. "The game, in conjunction with numerous community events, gives Clevelanders another opportunity to celebrate the city's diversity and to show support for black colleges," said John Pace, president of the Ohio Classic. The All-Star Game, featuring the 20 top basketball players from HBCUs, will be the centerpiece of a four-day celebration in downtown Cleveland.
© 2004 Azeez Communications, Inc.