LA HOOPS CLASSIC: Black colleges and their basketball teams will get a chance to showcase their mission and talent next week when the first Black College Hoops Classic tips off Tuesday, Dec. 27 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena. Eight black college teams will participate in a three-day tournament on the hardwood while the institutions get a chance to interact and connect with the Los Angeles community, many of whom are not familiar with their history and legacy.

The event is the brainchild of Dr. Joel A. Ward, senior pastor of the historic St. Paul's Baptist Church in South Central Los Angeles and founder and director of the Joel John Scholastic Academy, a private school serving nearly 100 high school age students in the South Central area. Ward, 53, a 1973 Morehouse grad and former Maroon Tiger high jumper, said the idea came to him as a way to "help improve our community" by exposing young people in LA, and their parents, to the availability of these four-year institutions.

"Too many of our people don't know about the opportunities that historically black colleges and universities provide and have provided for years," said Ward, while worrying whether his positive message and concept had caught on in LA. "They need to understand that they don't need to just go to junior or community colleges that are all over California, but they can get four-year educations and degrees from these great institutions which would welcome them."

The institutions, representing eight states, will be led on the hardwood by defending NCAA Div. II champion Virginia Union who will be joined by fellow CIAA members Johnson C. Smith (N.C) and Bowie State (Md.) along with SIAC member Morehouse (Ga.) and NAIA member-institutions Claflin (S.C.), Lincoln (Mo.), Wilberforce (Oh.) and Wiley (Tx.). The teams will play four games each beginning Tuesday at 11 a.m culminating with Thursday's 7 p.m. title game.

© 2005 Azeez Communications, Inc.

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