Tigers shoot hoops for cancer research

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 29, 2006

How do you feed a busload of hungry basketball players?

Not with sack lunches, found out Claire Jones. When the Greenville Elementary School Principal volunteered to feed the high school varsity basketball team if they helped put on an exhibition for her students, head coach Victor Smith almost laughed.

A small bag with a sandwich? For these guys? 6-foot-7, 315 pound center and Louisville University football signee Josh Hawkins looks as if he could polish off 10 of those sandwiches himself.

&#8220These guys go to McDonald's and order about three or four double cheeseburgers apiece,” said Smith, as he watched his team scrimmage at GES's Old Gymnasium on Thursday.

Jones finally just ordered pizza, she said. Lots and lots of pizza.

The scrimmage was part of Greenville Elementary's Relay for Life fundraising efforts. Students were charged $2 a piece to watch the Tigers perform.

And a performance was what it was.

Although the scoreboard was on, 12-0 remained the score throughout the game as the Tigers - one team wearing gold, the other in black - launched threes, blocked shots and even slammed home a few dunks for the enthusiastic elementary students. Each player tried their hands at more than a few acrobatic shots or passes. And fouls and free throws were nonexistent.

&#8220They're having fun now,” said Smith.

Greenville High School players walked the perimeter of the court slapping hands with GES students and tossed plastic gold basketballs into the stands.

Jones said the school's fundraising goal for the countywide Relay For Life was $1400.

&#8220But we're well past that,” she said.

Along with the basketball game, students also participated in a dance and other school activities to help raise money to fight cancer.