Jeremy Black Leads All-Star Team to Victory in Opening Day
WADSWORTH, Ohio - Jeremy Black of The University of Tampa joined Pace's Ryan Williams in double figures with 22 points apiece as Premier Pontiac defeated Renacci-Doraty Chevrolet 102-90 in the first game of the 2008 Collegiate Basketball Invitational.
Premier Pontiac will now play the winner of game two at 10 a.m., on Friday in the winner's bracket. Renacci-Doraty Chevrolet will now play the loser of game two between Galaxy-First Merit at 6 p.m., Thursday.
Williams, 9-for-13 from the field, scored 14 of his 22 points in the first-half as Premier Pontiac used a 16-0 spurt in the first-half to break-open a 16-16 tie en route to a nine-point halftime lead at 55-46. Also scoring in double figures for Premier Pontiac was Jerome Pierce of Notre Dame (Ohio) and Sam Belt of Central Okla. with 15 points each, while Rod Banks of California (Pa.) added 13 points. Belt grabbed a game-10 rebounds in the win and Pierce dished out nine assists and pulled down seven boards.
Leading the way for Renacci-Doraty Chevrolet was Brad Harris of Lee with 23 points as he connected on six of his seven three-point attempts. Collins Harris of Drury added 20 points, while DeAndre Townsend of Emporia St. contributed with 14 points.
The Collegiate Basketball Invitational is a major national basketball event that gathers the finest 64 senior men's basketball players from all of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II and Division III and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Division I and Division II.
The event will take place at Wadsworth High School in Wadsworth, Ohio, and each team will have eight players in eight-team bracket. Six games will be played both Thursday and Friday with the championship game being played Friday night at 8 p.m. (ET). The CBI will conclude with an all-star game Saturday evening at 8 p.m. (ET) in front of a live, ESPNU audience as 20 players will selected to play in the game.
Click here for the Collegiate Basketball Invitational web site