Post by elp525 on Jun 15, 2011 13:33:15 GMT -5
06/15/2011
Chris Lawrence
South Charleston
More than 90-youngsters listened intently as two members of the Mountaineer basketball team encouraged them to work hard in school and stay out of trouble.
Truck Bryant and Kevin Jones appeared at the South Charleston Community Center on Wednesday to visit with the kids who are on hand this week for the South Charleston Black Eagle basketball camp.
"Try to help them, try to give them words of advice,” said Bryant. "Kids look up to you just because they see us on TV. It's good for us to tell them that academics is the most important and basketball is second."
The pair fielded an array of questions, including one child who wanted to know, "Is Coach Huggins really mean?"
"He's a really good guy, but when we're playing in a game and on the floor he expects you to do things right," said Jones.
Another asked who's their favorite NBA player. Bryan's answer "Lebron James" drew a mix of cheers and jeers.
"You must have been really disappointed during the finals,” quipped one witty young lady in the crowd.
Neither Bryant nor Jones is from West Virginia, but both says Huggins stresses the value of the West Virginia fan base and encourages them to embrace the state with visits like these, the same way the state embraces them during the season.
"I've been here so long and people have embraced me so well I feel like I am from this state,” said Jones. "It's different when people see you on TV and then see you in person. You never know whose life you're affecting."
Chris Lawrence
South Charleston
More than 90-youngsters listened intently as two members of the Mountaineer basketball team encouraged them to work hard in school and stay out of trouble.
Truck Bryant and Kevin Jones appeared at the South Charleston Community Center on Wednesday to visit with the kids who are on hand this week for the South Charleston Black Eagle basketball camp.
"Try to help them, try to give them words of advice,” said Bryant. "Kids look up to you just because they see us on TV. It's good for us to tell them that academics is the most important and basketball is second."
The pair fielded an array of questions, including one child who wanted to know, "Is Coach Huggins really mean?"
"He's a really good guy, but when we're playing in a game and on the floor he expects you to do things right," said Jones.
Another asked who's their favorite NBA player. Bryan's answer "Lebron James" drew a mix of cheers and jeers.
"You must have been really disappointed during the finals,” quipped one witty young lady in the crowd.
Neither Bryant nor Jones is from West Virginia, but both says Huggins stresses the value of the West Virginia fan base and encourages them to embrace the state with visits like these, the same way the state embraces them during the season.
"I've been here so long and people have embraced me so well I feel like I am from this state,” said Jones. "It's different when people see you on TV and then see you in person. You never know whose life you're affecting."
