NORFOLK, Va.—The road continues for the University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s National Player of the Year, Mike Myers. The Riley Wallace award winner, who was named to three separate All-America teams this season, heads to Norfolk, Virginia, to play in the Portsmouth Basketball Summit. He is joined by teammate Isaac Smith III who will also play in the event, which runs April 9-10, 2015.
Myers (Camden., N.J.) is featured as one of the top attendees at the event and was promoted by local media as attending. The 6-8 forward enjoyed his only year with the Hawks, averaging almost 16 points and seven rebounds per contest. He was named the Riley Wallace National Player of the Year for the country’s top DI transfer and a finalist for the Lou Henson Award for the country’s top mid-major player. He was an NABC All-District performer, an All-MEAC selection and was named one of four finalist for the nation’s top mod-major player by College Court Report.
Smith, who spent two years with UMES and played in 53 games for the Hawks recorded a career high of 19 points against Iowa in the 2013-2014 campaign. The Chicago native was second on the team this season in assists, including a career-high six in the win at Fordham.
They will be joined by former collegiate players from schools that include Alcorn State, South Carolina, Boston College, Old Dominion, Hampton, Longwood, Cal-State Bernardino, Virginia State and others.
“This is a great opportunity for these guys to be seen by scouts and general managers, hopefully making an impression that leads them to their dream of playing professional basketball,” said UMES Assistant Coach Ace Custis who knows all too well the roads traveled when playing professional basketball. He played for 15 seasons with stints ranging from the NBA to the CBA to USBL in the states. Custis also spent time overseas in Japan, the Philippines, Qatar, Lebanon, Syria and Indonesia.
According to the website, the Portsmouth Basketball Summit “provides an excellent opportunity for many players to receive the exposure necessary to receive professional basketball contracts.” It is hosted by McNeil Marketing who promises four games for each team, video of each game, stats, awards, instructions, speakers and scouts from 10 European leagues, as well as leagues in South Korea, China, Argentina, Mexico, Canada and of course America, with the NBA, NBDL, ABA and PBL all represented. Last year more than 50 scouts attended the event.
The event will be held at Maury High School (322 Shirley Avenue) in Norfolk, Virginia. Game times will be held from 2 p.m. - 8 p.m. Thursday and will continue from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Friday. Tickets for the general public are 5.00 per day.
For more information, visit www.umeshawks.com