Former Wellston High girls basketball coach Carl Davis has put together a nice event to help the victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti while celebrating the legacy of the Wellston High basketball program in the process.
The Hoops 4 Haiti event will be held on Saturday, February 20 at Eskridge High in Wellston (1200 Sutter). The special event will feature eight basketball games, staring with a series of youth games, beginning at 11 a.m.
The afternoon session will feature a series of adult games with 40-and-over and 50-and-over teams competing.
The grand finale of the Hoops for Haiti event will an All-Star game featuring several of the former greats from Wellston. It is scheduled to begin at about 7 p.m.
Davis, who led Wellston’s girls to the Class 2A state championship in 1994, came up with the idea after watching all of the news coverage of the earthquake and all of the devestation it caused in Haiti. Deeply touched by what he saw on television, he went into action, calling all of his contacts to put together this special basketball event.
“I was watching it on television and I really wanted to do something to help the people of Haiti,” Davis said. “I really felt for them and I wanted to help in any way I could. I spent the next few days on the phone calling everyone I knew to put this event together. Everyone got on board quickly.”
Admission for Hoops 4 Haiti is $5 for adults (21 and older), $2 for young adults (15-20), $1 for children (ages 6-14). Children under five get in free. All proceeds go to the relief effort in Haiti. People are also encouraged to make donations during the event.
It is a wonderful gesture made by Davis, who is a man with a big heart.
It will also be a great opportunity to celebrate the past greatness of the Wellston boys and girls basketball programs one last time. The school will be closing its doors at the end of the school year and its students will be merged into Normandy High School next year.
In my 22 years of covering high school basketball, I have enjoyed many great memories while following the Trojans and Trojanettes to the state tournament. Local radio talk show icon Richard “Onion” Horton and I have spent many good times with the Trojans faithful during their state-championship runs.
When high school basketball practice started in early November, one of my first stops for many years was to Wellston to check in on the Trojans. I loved going to those games in that tiny gymnasium where 100 people sounded like 2,000 people. Through thick and thin, there was always a small group of fans that was always passionate about their Wellston basketball.
The Wellston boys were a small-school powerhouse under the direction of Alranzo Galloway, especially during the 1980’s, where the Trojans won Class 2A state titles in 1984 and ’88 while finishing second in 1985. Sterling Bates brought the Trojans back to the state title in 2007 with a surprising run to Columbia. In the school’s final year, former Wellston star Jeffrey McCaw is at the helm as he tries to lead the Trojans on one final run for glory.
Davis brought the Wellston girls to the winners circle in 1994 when the Trojanettes won the state title behind the brilliant LaShonda Albert, who is still one of the best girls high school basketball players I’ve ever seen. Davis led Wellston to five Final Four berths in the state tournament.
In honor of the Wellston basketball celebration, I must come up with my All-Star Wellston teams. For the boys, my starting five would be Edgar Wilson (’85) and Eugene Deal (’80) at the forwards, Clarence Cain (’89) at center, with Garry “Bullet” Beals (’84) and Jeffrey McCaw (’88) at the guards. Off the bench, I would have Willie Harris (’82) Chris Robinson (’85), LeShone “Fat Man” Buchanan (’00), one-year wonder Keith Adams (’94, Ed Jamerson (’07) and current standout Ben McLemore.
On the girls side, I have Teresa George (’91) and Tanisha Albert (’96) at the forwards, Barbara “Lady Shaq” Washington (’96) at center and LaShonda Albert (’94) and Briranda Griffin (’00) in the backcourt. My reserves are Arletha Lewis (’91), Melissa Buie and twins Jennifer and Jeannate McCraw.
You can follow Earl Austin Jr. on his new basketball website “www.earlaustinjr.com.” Earl’s website provides daily reports on area basketball at all levels from the preps to the pros.