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2011 ELITE SHOWCASE BASKETBALL CLASSIC II
"Play
Where the Pros Play"
 The
2nd Annual Elite Showcase Basketball Classic (ESBC)
was the first to be hosted at the Verizon Center in
Washington, D.C., and was the first to take place over the
course of a full weekend.
VA
Elite and the
2011 Elite Showcase Basketball
Classic
(ESBC) took a
major step towards
delivering top-quality boys and girls
high school basketball to our nation's capital.
Pictured Margaret
"Maggie" Morrison (Archbishop Spaulding,
Washington,D.C./Vanderbilt University).
The
partnership between VA Elite Hoops, the NBA's Washington
Wizards, and the WNBA's Washington Mystics to host the
ESBC at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. on Sunday,
March 20th. Turned out to be a great opportunity to
showcase the next generation of collegiate players to the
nations capital and to "Play Where The Pros
Play".
 Day
1 FRIDAY
- The
three-day event kicked off on the evening of Friday March
18th with the arrival of the ESBC Class of
2011 to the Washington Dulles Marriott Suites in Herndon,
Virginia. The
players checked-in and registered with the ESBC Staff and
began to settle in for a weekend of fun and hoops.
Pictured
L-Jordan Omogbehibn (Atlantic Shores Christian School,
Chesapeake, Virginia/South Florida) R- Julian DeBose (St.
John's High School, Washington, D.C./Rice
University)
For
many of the players that attended the weekend it was a
time to meet other players that they have played against
year after year on the AAU circuit and through high
school competition. This was also a time to make new
friends, as many of the players will be competing in the
same conferences next year in college. Durand Johnson
(Pitt), Jerome Seagears (Rutgers), Jordan Omogbehin (South
Florida), Greg Lewis (Rutgers), Jabril Trawick
(Georgetown), Greg Whittington (Georgetown), Shaquille
Thomas and Jermaine Sanders (Cincinnati) will be
representing the ESBC in the Big East.
Pictured
R-C.J. Barksdale (Hargrave Military Academy, Chatham,
Virginia/Virginia Tech)
Nick
Faust (Maryland), Marquis Rankin (Virginia Tech), Pictured
- C.J. Barksdale (Virginia Tech) in the ACC, Daniel Gomis
(Oregon State) in the PAC-10, Julian Debose (Rice) representing
in Conference USA, Trevon Graham will represent the ESBC
with final four VCU,
as well as other.
Let's
not forget about the ladies of the ESBC
Maggie Morrison (Vanderbilt) will represent the ESBC in
the SEC, the Big East Conference will be represented by
Mallory Jones (St. Johns), West Virginia will be
represented by Akilah Bethel, Linda Stepney and Crystal
Leary (West Virginia), Taylor Brown (Georgetown) and Joy
Caracciolo (Boston College) will be holding it down in the
Big East, Necole Sterling (Indiana) Big Ten, Siobhan
Belsow (La Salle) Atlantic 10 and others.
Pictured
L-Mallory Jones (Oak Hill Academy, Mouth of Wilson,
Virginia/St. John's University).
Later
that evening after all the players had arrived and
registered they were treated to an evening of great dining
at Moley Brothers Bar B-Que, Leesburg, Virginia.
"Practice"
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Julian
DuBose
Rice
University |
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Traveon
Graham
Virginia
Commonwealth |
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Greg
Whittington
Georgetown
University |
Sim
Fraizer
Howard
University |
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Brandon
Mobley
Considering |
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Auburn,
Seton Hall, DePaul, Minnesota, Lousiville |
 Day
2 Saturday -
The
players enjoyed a hearty buffet breakfast, courtesy of the
Washington Dulles Marriott Suites, then spent an hour
listening to an educational workshop that was aimed at
providing them with information more than basketball, but
information that focused on preparing them for their
collegiate experience.
Pictured
L - North Team Practice
The
educational session focused on providing the
student-athletes with information on time management and
making the right decisions throughout their collegiate
experiences. Also, making the best of their next four
years and enjoy the rewards of fulfilling their life long
dreams of playing collegiate basketball.
That
afternoon players and coaches finally had the opportunity
to embrace the basketball court. Before the players were
separated into their prospective groups, True Athlete
Performance (TrueAP) conducted
a high intensified warm-up sessions for all the athletes.
Coach Mike Morrison, North Boys Head Coach, put the
players through another workout session that encompassed
every facet of hoops.
Pictured
R - C.J. Barksdale and Marquis Rankin (Hargarve Military
Academy/Virginia Tech)
 The
evening was not without a good scrimmage between the North
and South ladies. The ESBC Class of 2011 was as complete
as the ESBC Boys roster.
The
game took on a really competitive edge when Alyssa
Albanese (Elizabeth Seton/NJIT) was out to show her skills
against some of the best lady ballers in the nation.
Alyssa and Linda Stepney (Lake Taylor/West Virginia University)
begin to showcase their skills at the point guard
position.
Not
to be out done by the point guards, Jazmon Gwathmey
(Liberty/James Madison University), Kiana Trice-Hill (Oak
Hill Academy/Virginia Commonwealth University), Mallory
Jones (Oak Hill Academy/St. John's University) and Siobhan
Beslow (Westfield H.S./La Salle University) begin to
compete in the paint as well as sharp shooter Zora
Stephenson (Oakton H.S./Elon University).
"Play
Where the Pros Play"
Verizon
Center, Washington, D.C.
Day
3 Sunday -
The
players convened, one last time, for breakfast buffet at
the Washington Dulles Marriott Suites, and received their
official ESBC uniforms, sponsored by Nike Inc. The players
checked out of their rooms and traveled to the Verizon
Center, Washington, D.C.
 The
players who were selected by the ESBC committee to
participate in ESBC All-Star Weekend postseason basketball
event came from across the country and consisted of
24 boys and 24 girls (total of 48 student-athletes). The
Verizon Center, a 20,000-seat multi-purpose sports and
entertainment venue, located in the Penn Quarter
neighborhood of Chinatown in downtown Washington, D.C.,
was ranked as the 10th-highest grossing venue of the past
decade by Billboard magazine, and is home to the NBA's
Washington Wizards, the NHL's Washington Capitals, the
WNBA's Washington Mystics and the NCAA's Georgetown Hoyas
Men's Basketball team.
 The
Verizon Center is the heart of a $6.2 billion
redevelopment project that began 12 years ago with the
vision of Abe and Irene Pollin when the arena opened. The
surrounding neighborhood has grown with new restaurants,
condominiums and businesses that profit from an average of
220 events (concerts, family shows and world class
tournaments) that fill the arena on an annual basis.
High School and AAU coaches are encouraged to nominate
players for consideration. Throughout the high school
season players will be invited to participate in the ESBC.
2011
ESBC Most Valuable Trophy Award
(Recognizing
the Past and Rewarding the future)
The
2011 Elite Showcase Basketball Classic
Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award
presented
in the name of former Harlem Globetrotter
and American Pioneer,
Boid Buie.
 Pictured
(L-Thomas Gadson, ESBC President, Rodney Buie (son),
Vannessa Thompson (niece) and Jamie Howell-Parker (Granddaughter).
Boid
Buie was a member of the Harlem Globetrotter in the
1940's, but before becoming a member of the
"Trotters" Mr. Buie was a graduate of Tennessee State
University (TSU) and was later inducted into TSU
Hall of Fame as a Basketball and Tennis star. The ESBC honored
Mr. Buie as a pioneer in American sports but more importantly
a pioneer in American history. Boid Buie,
joined the Globetrotters in 1945 but what made his career
special, Buie only had one arm and competed against
fully able body athletes while averaging 18 points per
game. Additionally he played in the first international tour
of Europe in 1952 for the trotters. Buie would go on to
own his own team, The Harlem Stars in 1960. Read
more.......
2011
ESBC All-Star Weekend Schedule
More
Information contact: Thomas Gadson (703) 725.4878
Email: tgadson@vaelitehoops.com
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