WS Chronicle

Hanes Hosiery Community Center Director Art Blevins and many others are calling the recent 23rd Annual Hang the Net and Slam Dunk Contest the best one ever.

The July 25 event attracted a standing-room-only crowd and a long list of top-notch talent.  Participants included NBA star Josh Howard, former UNC Tar Heel Reyshawn Terry, former University of Miami star Reggie Johnson, former Yale star Mike Grace, former Harlem Globetrotter Rob Little, former Atkins and Wake Forest University star Willie “Super Sub” Griffin and former N.C. Central star Albert “T-Ball” Conner. Former local high school and college standouts  Howard Costen, Garren Loyld, Dewayne Tate, Markeith Cauley and Kenneth Bates also took part.

Local celebrity participants included Cameron Kent and Austin Caviness of WXII-12, Danny Harnden of Fox8, Carolina Panthers Super Fan Greg “Catman” Goud, YMCA Legend Mo Lucas, Mt. Tabor Coaches Laymarr Marshall and Andy Muse, Winston-Salem Prep Coach Andre Gould, DJ Dr. Diamond, former Parkland coach Tom Muse and former WSSU All American Thomas G. Washington of the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Mo Lucas Drill Team performed for the crowd.

Blevins, who created the event, said only one other  Hang the Net and Slam Dunk Contest rivaled the most recent one. It was back in the 1990s and featured late coaches Big House Gaines of WSSU and Skip Prosser of WFU, former South Carolina All American B. J. McKie, the late great sportswriter Mary Garber, the late great All American Eunice Futch, Eckie Jordan, and former Wake Forest University All American Charlie Davis.

The results of the event are as follows:

Celebrity Shootout

1st place – Steve Nivens

2nd place – Austin Caviness

3rd place – Danny Harnden

4th place – Cameron Kent

5th place – Greg  “Catman” Goud

Legends Shootout

1st place – Rob Little

2nd place – Willie Griffin

3rd place – Albert “T-ball” Conner

4th place – Laymarr Marshall

Rising Stars Shootout

1st place – Kenneth Bates

2nd place – Howard Costen

3rd place – Dewayne Tate

Slam Dunk Contest

1st place – Garren Loyld

2nd place – Markeith Cauley

3rd place – Howard Costen

Blevins would like to thank these outstanding sponsors for helping to make the event a special one through their generous donations. They include Jamie Wilkes Trophies, Page’s Sports, PEPSI, Weston and Associates, Papa Johns, Omega Sports, Chic-fil-A, Top Priority Care Services, Wendy’s, POWERADE and GX Studios Photography.