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By Michael Beaven
Special to the Beacon Journal
POSTED: 02:20 p.m. EST, Apr 03, 2008
For the third year in a row the Greater Akron area will be the epicenter of youth basketball during April's final weekend.
St. Vincent-St. Mary High School boys basketball coach Dru Joyce II and Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic conducted a press conference this morning at the Mason Park Community Center to discuss the third annual King James Shooting Stars Classic.
''We started out with an idea and vision for young men, and it has really grown,'' Joyce said of the event that will be held at various area gymnasiums April 25-27 and features players in eight age groups from ages 10-17.
Joyce said that 552 travel basketball teams will invade the gymnasiums of area schools, community centers and churches. Teams will come from as far away as Toronto, Miami and Portland, Ore., to take part in an event that will total 1,088 games.
''Young men all across our country and Canada come and we get to watch to them right here in Akron, Ohio, thanks to the work of Dru Joyce and other individuals in the community that have made this possible, including the many volunteers,'' Plusquellic said.
''A special thanks also goes to LeBron James,'' Plusquellic continued. ''He is not only a good basketball player, but he is also a good person. He hasn't forgotten about his hometown.''
Joyce said 74 gyms will be used April 25 and 76 gyms will be utilized April 26.
The championship games will be played April 27. Applebee's is this year's title sponsor.
''It's a great opportunity for the people of Akron to witness great basketball players,'' Plusquellic said. ''We have had tremendous support in regards to volunteers, officials and the people that open the gyms.''
Joyce said the past two years have brought more than 200 collegiate coaches and such standout players as Michael Beasley (Kansas State), O.J. Mayo (Southern California), Eric Gordon (Indiana), Derrick Rose (Memphis) and Bill Walker (Kansas State) to the area, along with Ohioans Kosta Koufos (GlenOak, Ohio State) and Delvon Roe (Lakewood St. Edward, Michigan State) prior to starting their collegiate careers.
''When you look at the NCAA Tournament that has gone on the past few weeks, and is going on this weekend with the Final Four, you see a lot of the players that have played here,'' Joyce said. ''They came here, and for a lot of them, this is where they finalized their college scholarships.''
Joyce said Derrick Favors, a top high school player from Atlanta, is scheduled to play in this year's event. St. V-M's Michael Hammonds and GlenOak's C.J. McCollum are area participants on the King James team.
''The talent level this year, I think, will be the best ever when you look at what the scouts are saying,'' Joyce said. ''We have more of the top players coming here than in past years. Out of the top 100 players in the country, we will have close to about 75, depending on which scouting service you look at.''
Plusquellic said Joyce and the hundreds of volunteers should be commended for their work.
''The success of this tournament is in many ways a reflection of the commitment from the people of this community and the volunteers,'' Plusquellic said. ''It is also a real indication of (Joyce's) organization skills.''
Joyce said that at least an additional 12,000 people will come to Akron for the event.
''It's a great economic boost for the community,'' Plusquellic said.
The tournament is organized and run by the Northeast Ohio Basketball Association. Joyce said the group is not only about basketball, but also about helping kids develop good character.
''All of athletics are a microcosm of the challenges you will face in life,'' Joyce said.
For more information about the event, go to http://www.neobasketball.com or call 330-668-6547.
''We thank LeBron for his support an allowing me to use his name,'' Joyce said. ''His name means more to him probably right now than his basketball ability. He recognizes the significance of this because this is where he learned the game and how he grew as a player by playing in travel basketball tournaments such as this from the age of 10 and all the way through high school.''
For the third year in a row the Greater Akron area will be the epicenter of youth basketball during April's final weekend.
St. Vincent-St. Mary High School boys basketball coach Dru Joyce II and Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic conducted a press conference this morning at the Mason Park Community Center to discuss the third annual King James Shooting Stars Classic.
''We started out with an idea and vision for young men, and it has really grown,'' Joyce said of the event that will be held at various area gymnasiums April 25-27 and features players in eight age groups from ages 10-17.
Joyce said that 552 travel basketball teams will invade the gymnasiums of area schools, community centers and churches. Teams will come from as far away as Toronto, Miami and Portland, Ore., to take part in an event that will total 1,088 games.
''Young men all across our country and Canada come and we get to watch to them right here in Akron, Ohio, thanks to the work of Dru Joyce and other individuals in the community that have made this possible, including the many volunteers,'' Plusquellic said.
''A special thanks also goes to LeBron James,'' Plusquellic continued. ''He is not only a good basketball player, but he is also a good person. He hasn't forgotten about his hometown.''
Joyce said 74 gyms will be used April 25 and 76 gyms will be utilized April 26.
The championship games will be played April 27. Applebee's is this year's title sponsor.
''It's a great opportunity for the people of Akron to witness great basketball players,'' Plusquellic said. ''We have had tremendous support in regards to volunteers, officials and the people that open the gyms.''
Joyce said the past two years have brought more than 200 collegiate coaches and such standout players as Michael Beasley (Kansas State), O.J. Mayo (Southern California), Eric Gordon (Indiana), Derrick Rose (Memphis) and Bill Walker (Kansas State) to the area, along with Ohioans Kosta Koufos (GlenOak, Ohio State) and Delvon Roe (Lakewood St. Edward, Michigan State) prior to starting their collegiate careers.
''When you look at the NCAA Tournament that has gone on the past few weeks, and is going on this weekend with the Final Four, you see a lot of the players that have played here,'' Joyce said. ''They came here, and for a lot of them, this is where they finalized their college scholarships.''
Joyce said Derrick Favors, a top high school player from Atlanta, is scheduled to play in this year's event. St. V-M's Michael Hammonds and GlenOak's C.J. McCollum are area participants on the King James team.
''The talent level this year, I think, will be the best ever when you look at what the scouts are saying,'' Joyce said. ''We have more of the top players coming here than in past years. Out of the top 100 players in the country, we will have close to about 75, depending on which scouting service you look at.''
Plusquellic said Joyce and the hundreds of volunteers should be commended for their work.
''The success of this tournament is in many ways a reflection of the commitment from the people of this community and the volunteers,'' Plusquellic said. ''It is also a real indication of (Joyce's) organization skills.''
Joyce said that at least an additional 12,000 people will come to Akron for the event.
''It's a great economic boost for the community,'' Plusquellic said.
The tournament is organized and run by the Northeast Ohio Basketball Association. Joyce said the group is not only about basketball, but also about helping kids develop good character.
''All of athletics are a microcosm of the challenges you will face in life,'' Joyce said.
For more information about the event, go to http://www.neobasketball.com or call 330-668-6547.
''We thank LeBron for his support an allowing me to use his name,'' Joyce said. ''His name means more to him probably right now than his basketball ability. He recognizes the significance of this because this is where he learned the game and how he grew as a player by playing in travel basketball tournaments such as this from the age of 10 and all the way through high school.''
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