adidas superstar weekend all-star games

adidas-EA Sports "Superstar Weekend"
All-Star Games This Weekend--(Mar. 24, 2004)

Not to be confused with the "EA Sports Roundball Classic" this event, the inaugural "adidas/EA Sports Superstar Weekend" All-Star games, claims to be the successor to the "l'adidas Roundball Classic"....whatever...

What we do know about this event is that it now has no connection whatever to the Roundball Classic. Instead, it's a series of two All-Star Games, one for the top 26 boys' players, and the other for the top 24 girls' players, all graduating seniors, and it will be played in Knoxville, Tennessee this coming Friday, March 26. We have not heard anything about television or tape-delayed broadcast, so unless you're there, you may not be able to see it. But check with your local cable operator, because it might be shown somewhere, sometime....we just don't know about that aspect...

This game will feature a number of players from Southern California, including:

Robert Swift (Bakersfield HS)--signed with USC, NBA-bound?
Bryce Taylor (Harvard-Westlake HS)--signed with Oregon
Lorenzo Mata (South Gate HS)--signed with UCLA

We have also heard that Sebastian Telfair, listed as a participant, may not be able to play due to some obscure New York HS rule which could affect his continued eligibility, but for now, that's just speculation. Certainly if Sebastian plays, it will elevate the game to a whole different level, but with the other talent expected to participate, it's going to be a great weekend whether he's able to be there or not.

Rather than try to rephrase the official adias America press release issued last week, we'll just reprint it in full below:

Elite High School Ballers to Showcase Their Skills at the Inaugural adidas Superstar Weekend
Wednesday March 17, 9:06 am ET

adidas Superstar Weekend Featuring the adidas/EA Sports Superstar Games to Be Held Friday, March 26th

PORTLAND, Ore., March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- adidas and EA Sports have announced today the nation's elite high school senior participants in the inaugural adidas/EA Sports Superstar Boy's Game and the third annual adidas/EA Sports Superstar Girls' Game (formerly known as the l'adidas Roundball Classic). The adidas Superstar Weekend and the adidas/EA Sports Superstar Games will feature fifty of the best boys and girls players from around America. A thrilling climax to a week full of activities, the adidas/EA Sports Superstar Games will be played on Friday, March 26th, 2004 at Thompson Boling Arena, located on the campus of the University of Tennessee (Knoxville, TN). Individual tickets for the event are $100, $15 and $10 and can be purchased at the Thompson Boling Arena, all Tickets Unlimited outlets, online at www.knoxvilletickets.com, or by calling 877-995-9961.

While the two adidas/EA Sports Superstar Games are the centerpiece of the adidas Superstar Weekend, there are additional activities leading up to the on-court excitement. adidas and EA Sports have collaborated on numerous activities designed to excite and entertain the high school athletes that are at the heart of this event.

The tip-off for the boys' game is 8:30 p.m. and the complete roster for the boys' game is as follows:

    T-MAC SUPERSTARS

     Marshall Brown     G/F    6'6"    212
         Austin, TX          L.B. Johnson        Missouri

     Jamar Butler       G      6'2"    190
         Lima, OH            Shawnee             Ohio St.

     Toney Douglas      G      6'2"    185
         Jonesboro, GA       Jonesboro           Auburn

     C.J. Giles         C      6'11"   235
         Seattle, WA         Rainier Beach       Miami

     Damion Harris      C      6'9"    280
         Greenville, SC      Wade Hampton        Tennessee

     Al Horford         F      6'9"    215
         Grand Ledge, MI     Grand Ledge         Florida

     Kyle Lowry         G      6'0"    180
         Philadelphia, PA    Cardinal Daugherty  Villanova

     Joakim Noah        F      6'10"   210
         Brooklyn, NY        Lawrenceville Prep  Florida

     Peter John Ramos   C      7'3"    175
         Puerto Rico         Colegio Bautista    Undecided

     Josh Smith         F      6'9"    215
         Powder Springs, GA  Oak Hill Academy    Indiana

     Robert Swift       C      6'11"   245
         Bakersfield, CA     Bakersfield         USC

     Garrett Temple     G      6'6"    180
         Baton Rouge, LA     University Lab      LSU

     Darius Washington  G      6'1"    185
         Orlando, FL         Edgewater            Memphis

    Head Coach: Travis Jones (Edgewater HS, Orlando, FL)


    KG SUPERSTARS

     Ramel Bradley      G      6'3"    185
         Brooklyn, NY        Pendelton           Kentucky

     Jackie Butler      F/C    6'10"   249
         McComb, MS          Coastal Academy     Tennessee

     Dion Dowell        F      6'7"    190
         Texas City, TX      Texas City          Texas

     Gavin Grant        F      6'7"    190
         Bronx, NY           St. Raymond's       NC State

     Dwight Howard      C      6'10"   225
         East Point, GA      SW Atlanta Christian  Undecided

     Robert Kurz        F      6'8"    225
         Philadelphia, PA    Penn Charter        Notre Dame

     Lorenzo Mata       C      6'9"    220
         South Gate, CA      South Gate          UCLA

     DeMarcus Nelson    G      6'4"    208
         Sacramento, CA      Sheldon             Duke

     Sean Singletary    G      5'11"   175
         Philadelphia, PA    Penn Charter        Virginia

     Mohamed Tangara    F/C    6'9"    230
         Mali, West Africa   Mt. Zion Academy    Arizona

     Bryce Taylor       G      6'5"    200
         N. Hollywood, CA    Harvard-Westlake    Oregon

     Sebastian Telfair  G      6'0"    165
         Brooklyn, NY        Abraham Lincoln     Louisville

     Robert Vaden       G      6'5"    200
         Indianapolis, IN    Bridgton Academy    Indiana

    Head Coach: Courtney Brooks (SW Atlanta Christian, East Point, GA)

The tip-off for the girls' game is 5:30 p.m. and the complete roster for the girls' game is as follows:

    T-MAC SUPERSTARS

     Amber Bland        G/F    5'11"   163
         Boardman, OH        Boardman HS         Penn State

     Natalia Bogdanova  F      6'4"    160
         Charlotte, NC       Charlotte Christian  Purdue

     Sade Buley         G      5'11"   153
         Knoxville, TN       South-Doyle HS      Kentucky

     Melissa D'Amico    C      6'5"    185
         Mastic Beach, NY    William Floyd       Notre Dame

     Megan Darrah       F      6'2"
         Moreland, GA        East Coweta         Georgia

     Courtney Davidson  G      5'5"    145
         Youngstown, OH      Ursuline HS         Michigan St.

     Sparkle Davis      G      5'10"   125
         Decatur, GA         Paideia             Auburn

     Sarah Elliott      C      6'6"    200
         McKee, KY           Jackson County HS   Kentucky

     Lateefah Joye      G      5'10"   145
         Lenoir, NC          The Patterson School  Alabama

     Laura Kurz         G      6'1"    140
         Philadelphia, PA    Germantown Acad.    Duke

     Daphne Mitchell    C      6'3"    190
         College Park, GA    Woodward Acad.      Georgia Tech

     Erica White        G      5'5"    125
         Jacksonville, FL    Ribault             LSU

    Head Coach: Marlon Wells (San Diego HS, San Diego, CA)


    KG SUPERSTARS

     Brynn Cameron      G      6'0"     140
         Newbury Park, CA    Newbury Park        USC

     Quianna Chaney     G/F    5'11"    148
         Baton Rouge, LA     Southern Lab        LSU

     Brittney Davis     G      5'7"     135
         Portland, OR        Jefferson HS        Minnesota

     Sybil Dosty        F/C    6'3"     185
         Tucson, AZ          Salpointe HS        Tennessee

     Jessie Elway        G     5'11"    135
         Englewood, CO       Cherry Creek        Stanford

     Darrice Griffin     F/C   6'1"     160
         Seagraves, TX       Seagraves           Texas Tech

     Charde Houston      G     6'1"     172
         San Diego, CA       San Diego HS        Connecticut

     Christie Lautsch    F     6'4"     180
         Smyrna, GA          Campbell            Florida St.

     Lindsey Pluimer     C     6'3"     145
         San Clemente, CA    San Clemente HS     UCLA

     Brina Pollack       G     5'8"     130
         Marlboro, NJ        Marlboro            Purdue

     Kat Suderman        C     6'4"     195
        San Luis Obispo, CA  Mission College Prep  Santa Barbara

     Candice Wiggins     G     5'11"    145
         La Jolla, CA        La Jolla Country Day  Stanford

    Head Coach:  Terri Bamford (La Jolla Country Day, La Jolla, CA)


    adidas SUPERSTAR WEEKEND EVENTS

Boys & Girls Clubs Event - Thursday, March 25th, 10:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

For the first activity of the adidas Superstar Weekend, all fifty of the high school seniors will visit the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley. Over 300 kids from the local area will be on hand, and able to interact with the high school ballers. A skills clinic will be set-up, allowing for demonstrations and tutorials from the talent-rich high school seniors. Not only will gifts and prizes be given out to the kids, but free tickets to both of the adidas/EA Sports Superstar Games will be provided.

EA Sports Gaming Competition - Friday, March 26th, 1:30 p.m.

For a fun and relaxing activity prior to the on-court competition later that day, there is the EA Sports Gaming Competition. EA Sports will be on hand with their newest games, and all 50 players are invited to attend. With prizes on the line, everyone will be showcasing their best gaming skills in order to be crowned the EA Sports Gaming Competition Champion.

Live Performance by rap star, Cassidy - Friday, March 26th, 7:30 p.m.

Rap sensation Cassidy will be performing tracks from his J-Records debut album, Split Personality. Cassidy's 30-minute live performance will begin at the completion of the girls' game, and prior to the tip-off of the boys' game.

With two games featuring the best male and female high school seniors, and a bevy of exciting and unique basketball-related activities, the adidas Superstar Weekend and the adidas/EA Sports Superstar Games have become the premier showcase of amateur basketball for Spring.

adidas-Salomon AG

adidas is a global designer, developer and marketer of athletic footwear, apparel and accessories with the mission to be the leading sports brand in the world. adidas America is a subsidiary of adidas-Salomon AG, a corporation that also includes sports brands Salomon, TaylorMade, Bonfire and Mavic.

	What:	Inaugural adidas/EA Sports "Superstar Weekend" All-Star Games: Two Games, Boys & Girls
	Who:	50 Top adidas All-American Players (Boys & Girls)
	When:	Friday, March 26, 2004
	Where:	University of Tennessee Thompson Bolikng Arena, Knoxville
	TV:	None (check cable listings though as this is subject to change)