October 19, 2006

For More Information, Contact: Keith Gentry (901) 333-4114/ (901) 619-1899 / Kimberly Kreider (901) 333-4023

SOUTHWEST BASKETBALL TEAMS OPEN SEASON AGAINST SALUQI ALUMNI
Release written by Keith Gentry

The Southwest men’s and women’s basketball teams will open the 2006-2007 season with an exhibition game against the Saluqi and Lady Saluqi alumni on Friday, October 27 at the Verties Sails Gymnasium on the Union Avenue Campus. The women’s game will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the men’s game at 8 p.m. The games will feature this year’s squads against teams composed of former Southwest players. Tickets are $5 for adults (including students) and $2 for children age 12 and under.

“Both the men’s and women’s games are going to be exciting games like they always are,” said Southwest Athletic Director and Head Men’s Basketball Coach Verties Sails Jr. “It will determine how much progress our teams have made in practice. We have a lot of young players and the alumni should give us a great test.”

The Saluqi men, coached by Verties Sails, Jr., enter the season ranked 9th in the National Junior College Athletic Association Pre-Season Poll. The Southwest men return three returning starters off last year’s 23-8 Region VII championship team and also welcome four sophomore transfers to the squad.

Players returning from last year are 6’8” forward Greg Grimes (9.6 points, 5.9 rebounds), 6’3” guard Donald Boone (9.2 points, 4.8 rebounds), 6’8” forward/center Chris Evans (7.5 points, 5.6 rebounds), 6’4” guard Nathan Walton (3.7 points, 3.5 assists), and 6’0” guard Mark Hudson. Sophomore transfers who should play a key role in the team’s success are 6’3” guard Dontae Figgs (Clarendon College), 6’4” guard Dominique Johnson (St. Clair County Community College), 6’7” forward Donnell Maben (Connors State College), and 6’7” forward Leon Martin (Vincennes University).

The Lady Saluqis, coached by Andrea Martre, return five players off last season’s 19-9 team that reached the Region VII Tournament semifinals. Returning off the 2005-06 squad are 5’8” guard Gina High (10.1 points, 4.7 assists), 5’7” guard Jasmine Massey (8.3 points, 66 three-point goals), 5’4” guard Tameka Wooten (8.3 points, 3.7 assists), 6’0” forward Michelle Malone (7.6 points, 4.3 rebounds), and 6’0” forward Brittany Smith (6.3 points, 5.4 rebounds).

In addition, the Lady Saluqis return red-shirts Ashley Shields, a 5’10” guard who is the second all-time prep scorer in Memphis and Shelby County history, and 5’10” guard/forward Kenya Moore, who sat out last season with a medical red-shirt after averaging 12.2 points per game as a freshman in 2004-2005. The Southwest women also welcome sophomore transfers Britany Sublett (Mineral Area College) and Carol Martin (Walters State Community College) to the team and both are expected to make valuable contributions to the frontcourt.


The Saluqis and Lady Saluqis open the 2006-2007 regular season on Wednesday, November 1 when Southwest hosts Coahoma Community College at the Verties Sails Gymnasium.