Annual b-ball event draws huge crowd
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.
