RBK A.A. Game Preparations In Full Swing

Ron Bailey, Publisher

The best value in high school senior, post season All-American games is set to thrill.

April 17, 2009 – The first ever Reebok All-American
Game will be held tomorrow at 5:30 pm in Washington, DC, with American's Bender Arena being the site. Resultantly, forty-plus participating players, all high school seniors are in town, not only preparing to play but enjoying some of what DC has to offer.

Yesterday evening ended with a lively skill development session in which players stretched, exercised, dribbled, shot and dunked for the better part of two hours. If standouts in certain categories have to be tabbed for the session, they are:

Best Shooter: Brian Oliver (swingman headed to Georgia Tech)

Best Ball Patter: Junior Cadougan (point guard headed to Marquette)

Best Inside Finisher: Thomas Robinson (forward headed to Kansas)

Hardest Worker: Thomas Robinson

Most Complete Big Man: Richard Howell (forward headed to NCSU)

(See Ballercircuit.com for full rosters)

Washington/Baltimore-based participants Dante Taylor, Talib Zanna, Naji Hibbert, and Ian Hummer were all first day no-shows for various reasons. Dexter Strickland, of New Jersey cancelled due to injury.

Future members of the NCSU Wolfpack, Richard Howell (left) and Lorenzo Brown, both of 'The A-T-L' enjoy a seat at Pentagon City Mall.

Today started with breakfast around 9:00 am, after which the group, Hibbert added, headed to Calvary Christian Church in Northeast, DC for a meeting with kids. Then it was off to lunch at Pentagon City Mall, the day concluding with another practice session, again at Trinity College.

Of the previous absentee participants, Hibbert and Taylor participated in day two's practice session, which reportedly boasted spirited play. Zanna was still traveling with family and Strickland was still injured. Kansas State-bound swingman Rodney McGruder, according to sources, stood out during the second practice.

Terrell Vinson, a versatile forward from B'More, has narrowed his college choice to two schools.

A collection of talented players such as this is sure to generate some news; although most of the players have committed to college programs - all are highly billed - there are three still undecided.

To that end, it was learned via interviews that forward Terrell Vinson has narrowed his school list to UMass and Maryland, while point guard Keith Thomas will decide between Johnson C. Smith and Coastal Carolina. Combo guard Percy Woods has several junior college offers at his disposal. The three young guys will make their decisions soon.

Check back with i95Ballerz.com for more event coverage. Those capable of doing so are again urged to attend. And of course youth hoops coaches interested in receiving free shoes for their teams, just by being there, are encouraged to do so.

Great hoops, shoes for those who qualify (see link above), and a lot of fun, all for $10.00 (click here for general information). You can't beat that. See you there.