The Austin area will have a chance to earn basketball bragging rights when they take on San Antonio in the Jordan Clarkson All Star Weekend game on Saturday at 5 p.m. at Round Rock High School.
The weekend festivities will include a game at 3 p.m. for the region’s underclassmen.
Named for the Utah jazz player and former San Antonio star Wagner, the event is funded by Clarkson and hosted by his father, Mike Clarkson, and Tim Littlefield. It brings together some of the best senior players from the Austin and San Antonio areas.
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The Austin team has 15 players: Jae’lyn Brooks (Round Rock), Marcel Bryant (Cedar Ridge), Zach Engels (Westwood), CJ Evans (Killeen Harker Heights), Blake Fisher (Manor), Antwone Gonzales (Killeen Shoemaker), Jah Gulley (Lockhart), Hudson Johnson (Stony Point), Reese Miller (Round Rock), Major New (Lockhart), Kaden Smart (Hutto), Julian Smith (LBJ), Jivenson Sylvester (North East), Antawn Taylor (Killeen Harker Heights) and Jose Waring (Georgetown).
Northeast basketball head coach John A. Smith, who spent years living and coaching in San Antonio, will coach the Austin team. He will be supported by Cedar Ridge head coach Quinton Black and advised by recently retired Bowie head coach Celester Collier.
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Smith, who worked as a senior assistant at San Antonio Wagner and then took over the Northeast program ahead of the 2021-22 season, said he looks forward to representing the Austin area and facing many faces. familiar.
“It’s a blessing and an honor to have Mike and Tim entrust me with the position of head coach for Team Austin,” said Smith. “It’s exciting because I came to Austin from the San Antonio area. While I’m with my 512 kids, I know and have coached some of those 210 kids. (Wagner players) Austin Nunez and Kevin Garcia are definitely going to give me a hard time, that’s for sure.
Smith said he was especially excited to work with Collier, a coaching pioneer who retired after four decades on the bench.
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“We have a great group of kids here in the Austin area in many great programs, but what excites me the most is having CC (Collier) on my coaching staff because we We will be honored for his historic and lifelong contributions to Bowie and basketball in general.
“I’m just blessed to bring my energy and platform to ATX and uplift this community in a positive way to help all kids get the recognition they deserve.”
