Players and coaches were announced at a recent press conference for the nationally televised event. Participants represent the top players (graduating seniors) from historically black colleges and universities includng the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA), Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC). Promoted by Target Sports Marketing (TSM) and Sports Entertainment International (SEI), this year's game will also include a player from Central State University.
The Classic moves to Baltimore this year following a successful stint in Atlanta. TSM began hosting the event two years ago.
"The mission of the annual All-Star Classic is to highlight and uplift the nation's top black college basketball talent by giving athletes a consistent annual platform to be seen by professional scouts as well as a national television audience," said LaShun Lawson, executive producer of the All-Star Classic and co-owner of Target Sports Marketing.
Scouts from several professional basketball organizations will be on hand to watch both men and women compete. There will also be a national television audience for the game which reached over 40 million viewers for the past two years on the FOX Sports Network.
The men selected for this year's game include:
North Team:
Antoine Brockington, Coppin State; Danny Singletary, Coppin State; Jerome James, Florida A&M; Tramaine Byrd, Morgan State; Rod Blakney, South Carolina St.; Anthony Harris, Elizabeth City St.; Marquis Wright, Johnson C. Smith; Marquise Newbie, Virginia Union; Larry Bratcher, Fayetteville State; Fred Smith, Howard; Rene Hardy, Howard and Jerard Rucker, Morgan State.
South Team:
Randy Bolden, Texas Southern; Russell Evans, Texas Southern; Kenyon Ross, Mississippi Valley St.; Cedric Foster, Mississippi Valley St.; Tamarron Sharpe, Prairie View; Ronnelle Williams, Southern; Trent Pulliam, Jackson State; Mark Meredith, Grambling State; Leroy Hollenshed, Grambling State; Steven Mattair, Miles; Jamal Jenkins, Fort Valley State and Eriq Mason, Tuskegee.
The coaches for the men's teams are Sam Jones (confirmed) and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe (invited), both were named as one of the NBA's Fifty All-Time Greatest Players.
For the first time in the history of the Classic, the Gillette Women's Basketball Super Shootout will be included. The women players selected are:
North Team:
Brenonda Jackson, Bowie State; Konecka Drakeford, Johnson C. Smith; Donita Mays, St. Augustine's; Tammy Brown, Fayetteville St.; Karen Johnson, Delaware St.; Aquinda Clark, Florida A&M; Vanesa Valez, Maryland-Eastern Shore; Selena Edwards, Norfolk State; Devonyale Tedford, Livingstone and Eriade Hunter, Howard.
South Team:
Rosalyn Spann, Jackson State; Ebonyee Williams-Thomas, Alabama State; Shiakiea Carter, Grambling State; Alesha Carter, Alcorn State; Tracie Glover, Alcorn State; Lekeysha Johnson, Southern; Melissa Upton, Paine; Kwana Graves, Morris Brown; Sheneeka Watkins, Miles and Adrienne Tinch, Clark-Atlanta.
The All-Star women's coaches will be Cozette Balentine, who was recently invited to the combine for the American Basketball League (ABL) and K.C. Jones, presently an ABL coach.
Players were selected by the Black College Sports Information Directors Association based on inprovement, consistency and overall performances as an individual and a team player during the player's college basketball career.
"These players know what it takes to be a great athlete: persistence, concentration and discipline," said Michael Jackson, wide receiver for the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and head of Sports Entertainment International, the local event management company cohosting the All-Star Classic. "That's what makes you an All-Star.
The event is sponsored by Mobil, Gillette, Fila and Delta Airlines. This year's festivities will also include performances by national recording artists, celebrity hosts and athletes from other sports industries.
The women's game begins at 1:00 p.m. followed by the men's game at 4:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets.
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