Former Duck Jones hosts
annual Slam charity benefit
Slam Dunk contest brings
professional athletes and
local youth together
TOSHIO SUZUKI
FREELANCE REPORTER
The contestants weren't world-class,
but Freddy Jones' first annual Sum
mer Slam Dunk contest and three
point shoot-out was a success simply
because it occurred.
While temperatures outside the Jef
ferson High School gymnasium in
Portland reached record high levels
this past Saturday, the inside was
slightly cooler. The heat, or lack of air
conditioning, subdued the overall at
tendance and excitement.
"Yeah it was hot in here, but it's all
about getting people out in the com
munity," said Jones, who is a reserve
guard for the NBA's Indiana Pacers.
"This was a good situation, the com
munity came out and supported it,
and that's what matters."
Being only a two-year veteran of
the NBA, it is rare to see professional
basketball players in Jones' position
attempting to do so much for his or
her community. This is why the
event was viewed as a success despite
the overall unorganized, and at times
even chaotic, atmosphere.
The basketball event, along with a
comedy showcase at the Aladdin The
atre the previous night, combined to
help benefit the Big Brothers Big Sis
ters of Metropolitan Portland. Big
Brothers Big Sisters is an organization
dedicated to creating valuable rela
tionships for children. Today, only
four percent of funding for Big Broth
ers Big Sisters comes from fund-rais
ing events like Jones'.
"This was a good situation,
the community came out and
supported it, and that's what
matters."
— Freddy Jones
Indiana Pacers reserve guard
The three-point contest hardly
aroused the interest of spectators
as much as the first event. Former Ore
gon basketball standout Alex Scales was
the only competitor in both events, but
failed to advance in either.
The dunk contest highlighted lo
cal talent that had advanced from an
open tryout in Portland. The dunk
contest's panel of judges featured
Jones, Drew Gooden of Cleveland,
Tayshaun Prince of Detroit and Jer
maine O'Neal of Indiana. Some of
the more impressive dunks came
from the champion, Toby Sein.
Sein's semifinal dunk involved him
throwing the basketball off the wall
15 feet behind the backboard, while
running full speed and converting
the dunk. Sein's winning, 1,000
dunk for Sein was a baseline under
the-leg jam.
Besides the contests and NBA star
power, the scene provided other
forms of entertainment. The Blazer
Dancers were there, along with au
thentic and replica jerseys. Entertain
ers, participants, and spectators all
contributed to the successful small
scale fundraiser that Jones believes
will be better next year.
"There were some missed dunks,
but it was a good turnout, a pretty
good contest, and it'll be better next
year," Jones said.
Celebrity judge and former Duck
Luke Ridnour was a no-show at the
event, which disappointed many in
the crowd who wore Ridnour's No.
13 Oregon jersey.
Toshio Suzuki is a freelance reporter
for the Emerald.
SPORTS BRIEF
Kent named to Wooden
Award board of governors
Oregon men's basketball head
coach Ernie Kent was named to the
John R. Wooden Award's board of
governors, Wooden Award chair
man Richard Llewellyn announced
Wednesday.
Board members' responsibilities
include being spokespeople for the
Wooden Award and advising the
Wooden Award staff on college bas
ketball and issues related to the
award. The board, however, is not
involved in selecting the Wooden
Award winner.
The Wooden Award has honored
the nation's best male college bas
ketball players since 1977. A
women's Wooden Award was added
for the first time in 2003.
Kent, entering his eighth season at
Oregon, replaces Stanford's head
coach Mike Montgomery on the
board. Montgomery left Stanford in
May to become head coach of the
NBA's Golden State Warriors.
The board of governors includes
ten other college basketball head
coaches from around the country,
including six NCAA champions. The
members are Jim Boeheim of Syra
cuse, Jim Calhoun of Connecticut,
Mark Gottfried of Alabama, Tom
Izzo of Michigan State, Gene Keady
of Purdue, Mike Krzyzewski of
Duke, Lute Olson of Arizona, Kelvin
Sampson of Oklahoma, Tubby
Smith of Kentucky and Roy
Williams of North Carolina.
Baseball legend to speak
at Oregon Classic
Pete Rose will be the featured guest
speaker for the 2004 Oregon Classic
Pro-Am Pairings Party September 14
at the Valley River Inn. The baseball
legend will deliver a 30-minute
speech at the Pro-Am Pairings Party
and host a question- and-answer ses
sion for 200 fans before the event.
"It is going to be great fun having
Pete Rose in Lane County for the
tournament," Oregon Classic Tour
nament Director Chris Roche said.
"Pete definitely will be interesting
to hear speak."
Rose holds Major League Base
ball's career hits record at 4,256 hits.
Rose, the 1975 World Series Most
Valuable Player, also managed the
Cincinnati Reds from 1985 to 1988.
The Pro-Am Pairings Party will in
clude a charitable auction that bene
fits Kidsports. Tickets for the auction
are by invitation only, while tickets
for Rose's question- and-answer ses
sion are $45 per person.
The 2004 Oregon Classic is the
only, four-day PGA Tour golf tour
nament in Oregon.
"I think our event is growing into
great value," Roche said. "We
are excited to see how this year's
event develops."
— Alex Tam
OLYMPICS
continued from page 5
Each qualified through the Regional Champi
onships two weeks ago in an event that sees very
few competitors, said the elder Forgues.
"There's not many race walkers in Maine, so
we automatically qualified," she said.
She said she is very excited about coming to
Eugene and competing at the same track meet,
which has seen several notable track athletes
such as Carl Lewis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Marion
Jones and current Oregon pole vaulter Tommy
Skipper star in.
"It's fun to come to Hayward Field," said Lau
ren Forgues, who will compete in the 5,000 me
ter race walk. "This is the Mecca of running."
Both have aspirations to compete at the
Olympic Games one day through the coach
ing of race walker Kevin Eastler, who was the
2003 U.S. 20 kilometer champion and 2000
Olympic Trials 20 kilometer runner-up.
Another Olympic hopeful is 18-year-old Matt
Frith from Jacksonville, Fla., who will compete
in the decathlon at 10 a.m. today.
After qualifying through the junior national
championships, Frith said he is happy to be
here with his father by his side to support him.
"I'm very excited. People here really know
track and I really love track," Frith said. "There
are also great facilities here."
Frith said his Olympic dreams include
competing in the pole vault event at the 2012
Olympics at a site yet to be determined.
The opening ceremonies for the Junior
Olympics will be held tomorrow beginning
at 7 p.m. at Hayward Field. Admission for
the First two days of competition starting today
is free to the public. Tickets for the last
four days are $7 per adult. Children under
12 enter free.
alextam@dailyemerald.com
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