2007 Global Games July 1, 2007

2007 GLOBAL GAMES KICK OFF WEEKLONG INTERNATIONAL BASKETBALL COMPETITION WITH JULY 1 MATCH-UP BETWEEN TEAM USA AND CHINA NATIONAL TEAM

General public gets chance to see world’s most promising young hoopsters ages 19 and under – many primed to become the future stars of the NCAA and NBA

DALLAS –The Texas Rangers aren’t the only team playing next week when America celebrates its 231st birthday.

Basketball fans can get their fix as the 2007 Global Games get set to dominate SMU’s Moody Coliseum (6024 Airline Rd.)for a Sunday-to-Saturday stretch of all-out international hoops from July 1 – 7. The week-long event will feature exhibition and tournament games showcasing some of the world’s most promising 19-and-under young players (most are athletes headed to or already playing for Big 12 NCAA teams – and some hail from the Dallas/Fort Worth area). Open to the public, tickets are now on sale for the tournament, which is presented by GameStop, PrimeTime Sports and the Heroes Foundation (see next page for game schedule and ticket prices). Individual tickets are $3 and $5, and a tournament pass is $15.

Highlights of the week include two major exhibition games. Team USA U19 (19 and under) and the China National team face each other Sun., July 1, at 5 p.m. Planning to attend and possibly playing for China will be 7'6" Houston Rockets all-star Yao Ming, a 2002 Global Game alum and 1st-round draft pick for the Houston Rockets. Also expected to play for China is 6'11" Yi Jianlian, who is expected to be chosen early in the 2007 NBA draft. In addition, Darrell Arthur (University of Kansas), a 2006 graduate of Dallas’ South Oak Cliff High School and a Dallas Morning News player of the year, has been chosen and will suit up for Team USA.

On Tues, July 3, the Dallas Mavericks Summer Team goes up against the China National team at 7 p.m. Playing on the Mavs Summer Team will be Dallas Mavericks’ center DeSagana Diop, power forward Pops Mensa-Bonsu, guard J J Barea and rookie/guard Maurice Ager along with former SMU player Brian Hopkins and former University of Texas player P.J. Tucker. The Mavs’ newest draft picks, to be chosen later this week, also will make their debut at the game.

The Global Games pool tournament, which features the nation’s top basketball players 19 years old and younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1988), kicks off Thurs., July 5, and concludes with the Gold Medal championship game Sat., July 7, at 8 p.m. Participating this year will be teams from all corners of the world – China, Puerto Rico, Africa, Argentina, and Senegal as well as Team USA.

Several hometown hoopsters have been tapped to play on the Global Games All-America Team, which is made up of 19-and-under high school grads headed to college this fall: D'Walyn Roberts (Texas Tech), a 2007 graduate of Duncanville High School; John Roberson (Texas Tech), a 2007 graduate of Plano Senior High School; Alex Malone (SMU), a 2007 graduate of Mansfield Timberview High School; and Robert Nyakundi (SMU), a 2007 graduate of Arlington Bowie High School. The All-America team will play against Senegal Thurs., July 5, at 6 p.m. and Fri., July 6, against the Junior College Team at 2 p.m. and Argentina at 8 p.m.

This year marks the seventh Global Games competition since its 2001 inception in Dallas. Considered the pre-eminent international basketball event played in the United States, the Global Games exist tohighlight the rising stars in the world of international basketball and to promote the growth of international basketball in the United States. This goal is validated and reinforced every year by the large number of NBA scouts, basketball fans, and coaches attending the Global Games.

Almost two dozen Global Game alumni currently play in the NBA, including Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets, Darko Milicic of the Detroit Pistons, Deron Williams of the Utah Jazz, Chris Bosh of the Toronto Raptors, and Ike Digou of the Golden State Warriors. In addition, alumni from the Global Games now play on more than 80 NCAA teams, including almost every Big 12 team.

Here is the schedule of games:

Sun, July 1
China vs. Team USA 5 p.m. $5

Tues, July 3
China vs. Mavs Summer Team 7 p.m. $5

Thursday, July 5
Puerto Rico vs. Africa 2 p.m. $3
Argentina vs. College Junior Team 4 p.m. $3
Global Games AA vs. Senegal 6 p.m. $3
Team USA vs. Africa 8 p.m. $3

Friday, July 6
College Junior Team vs. Global Games AA 2 p.m. $3
TBD 4 p.m. $3
Team USA vs. Puerto Rico 6 p.m. $3
Global Game AA vs. Argentina 8 p.m. $3

Saturday, July 7
TBD 2 p.m. $3
5th-6th Place 4 p.m. $3
Bronze Medal Game 6 p.m. $3
Gold Medal Game 8 p.m. $5

Ticket and other information

Tickets to the Global Games are now on sale at the SMU Box Office. Tickets are $5 to the exhibition games on Sun., July 1 (Team USA vs. China), Tues., July 3 (the Dallas Mavericks Summer Team versus China) and Sat., July 7 (Gold Medal Championship Game).

Tickets are $3 to the other Global Games on Thurs., July 5 – Sat., July 7. Children 5 and under are free to all events. A tournament pass, which allows entry into all games, is available for $15.

For tickets, go to the SMU Box Office (5800 Ownby Dr.), open Monday - Friday at the northwest corner of Ford Stadium.

All ticket holders are encouraged to arrive early to allow extra time for parking, which is $5. Visitor parking for Moody Coliseum is at the northeast corner of Airline Rd. and Binkley Ave. For more details, please go to www.globalgamesusa.com.

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NOTE: The Global Games tournament will feature two pools: Pool A (Team USA, Africa and Puerto Rico) and Pool B (Global Games All- American Team, Argentina and College Junior Team). Every team in each pool will play one another. Upon conclusion of the pool games, there will be a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th team from each pool. The Gold Medal Game (Sat., July 7 at 8 p.m.) will be the 1st Place Team from Pool A versus the 1st place team in Pool B. The Bronze Medal Game (Sat., July 7 at 6 p.m.) will be the 2nd Place team in Pool A versus the 2nd Place team in Pool B. The 5-6th Place Game (Sat., July 7 at 4 p.m.) will be the 3rd Place team in Pool A versus the 3rd Place team in Pool B.



Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of tmayad.

Official Website: http://www.globalgamesusa.com