Fans rose to their feet as Texas Southern University’s Ocean of Soul and Prairie View’s Marching Storm began, playfully taunting each other. The crowd, enthralled with the music, immediately directed their attention back to the court and the stadium fell silent for a brief second before erupting in cheers at the finishing of an alley-oop dunk.
H&PE Arena at Texas Southern University opened its doors Sunday for the Second Annual HBCU All-Star Game. The game is the brainchild of Travis L. Williams, a former coach who has spent over two decades coaching and playing with the NCAA as well as the HBCUs Tennessee State University and Fort Valley State University.
The game is the climax to a series of events made to showcase the athletic and academic talent found at historically black colleges and universities. Some of those events include a press conference and media day, a college admissions fair, a player development and student athlete empowerment seminar, a fitness boot camp, a panel discussion on social justice and civil rights.
The 2023 game pit Team Dick Barnett against Team Willis Reed. Dick Barnett, a former professional who played the Syracuse Nationals, Cleveland Pipers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the New York Knicks in the ’60s also helped the Tennessee A&I Tigers win the NAIA Division three years in a row. Willis Reed, a former player for the New York Knicks in the ’60s and ’70s eventually went on to be a coach and general manager as well as a seven-time NBA All-Star. Players from Norfolk State, Morgan State, North Carolina Central, Coppin State Hampton, Morehouse, Grambling, Savanah State Texas Southern and more represented the former All Stars Sunday afternoon with their stellar playing.
Team Barnett ultimately won out in a 113-99 victory. Nathaniel Pollard J. of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore was MVP with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
An All-Star game has to strike a balance between teamwork and showmanship, combining players from various teams that, in some cases, were just competing against each other. With players coming from six divisions, including the SWAC, MEAC, and CIAA, the possibility of a team not clicking is ever-present but coaches Benjy Taylor, Kenneth Blakeney, Donte’ Jackson and Jay Butler lead their teams in an equally competitive and entertaining game.
The game, strategically placed alongside the Final Four Weekend, is designed to help players and schools gain more exposure and place them on a national stage. With a live broadcast on CBS and attendees ranging from politicians like Sylvester Turner and musicians like OG Ron C. With this only being the second annual showcase the crowd turnout and enthusiasm showed that there is a lot more to come from the HBCU All Star Game.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2023.
