HBCU basketball stars set to battle in Phoenix
Organizers of the 3rd annual HBCU All Stars Game pictured with Tremaine Jasper of PhxSoul.com (Black River Life photo/Brian Watson)Grand Canyon University (GCU) will be the host venue for the 2024 face-off, highlighting top basketball players from across the nation.
(Phoenix, AZ) – On Sunday, April 7, 2024, players from all four athletic conferences of the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) system will face off in the 3rd annual HBCU All Stars Game. The game is described by organizers as an “elite college basketball showcase featuring the nation's most dynamic and talented basketball players from HBCUs.”
At a lively press conference featuring the GCU cheerleaders and band, organizers shared that the 2024 HBCU All Stars game is scheduled to take place one day prior to the start of the NCAA Men’s Final Four – the culmination of the month-long national frenzy known as ‘March Madness’ – in order to attract a major audience to HBCU basketball and its supporting culture.
L-R: GCU president Brian Mueller, Jerry Colangelo, GCU Vice Presient of Athletics Jamie Boggs, HBCU All Stars Founder Travis L. Williamson (Black River Life photo/Brian Watson)Will the bands be there?
Yes! HBCU bands will provide entertainment at the HBCU All Stars game in Phoenix, a rare treat since there are no HBCU campuses located in the state of Arizona. (Hat tip to our friends at PhxSoul.com for raising this critically important question.)
The previous year’s HBCU All Stars game was hosted in Houston, Texas, and featured Prairie View A&M University’s “Marching Storm” band in the stands, as well as Black Greek letter organizations strolling on the court during halftime.
“The HBCU All-Star Game provides this amazing national platform where goals, dreams and aspirations come true,” said Travis L. Williams, HBCU All-Stars, LLC Founder and CEO. “I cannot express how grateful, blessed and thrilled we are to bring this great game to the Valley.”
How can the local community get involved?
“There’s a huge community outreach component to every HBCU All-Stars game,” said event spokesperson LaTricia Woods. Last year’s event not only featured top athletes, but also the presentation of $100,000 in scholarships to the participating athletic conferences. In 2022, participants in the inaugural all-stars game visited Kingsley House in East New Orleans to serve dinner and play ball with unhoused children and their families.
Phoenix-area organizations looking to get involved with the festivities in 2024 can contact HBCU All Stars LLC via their home page, or reach out to the athletic department at GCU for more information on how to join the excitement.
“We’re excited to see what this does for the community, and how it makes everyone feel included,” said Jerome Garrison, Jr., Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development at GCU. “When everyone comes together, you can achieve anything.”
Tickets to the HBCU All Stars game can be purchased online via the GCU Athletics website. For those outside the Valley, the game will will air live on CBS and stream on Paramount+.
(Black River Life photo/Brian Watson)