By Staff Reports

 

FITZGERALD – The Georgia Sparks Travel/Exposure Girls Basketball Team will host an alumni basketball game and fundraiser on Saturday, April 28, at the Fitzgerald High School gymnasium.

According to Rick Jones, the head coach of the Sparks and organizer of the event, several former players from the surrounding counties will be participating. Among the former Americus-Sumter players participating will be Atyanna Gauldin and Amber Hicks. Both Gauldin and Hicks led the Lady Panthers to the 2016 state championship.

In addition to the alumni game, there will also be games involving current players, including Americus-Sumter standouts, Brianna Pope, Deasia Ford and Nyja Carson.

There will be alumni players from other surrounding counties participating as well, including some from Ben Hill, Irwin, Coffee, Brooks, Tift, Lowndes, Berrien, Charlton and Crisp counties.

According to Jones, the current 2018 Georgia Sparks Exposure girls team will consist of Sakendra Paulk (Coffee), Trinity Jones (Fitzgerald), Kyah Crook (Fitzgerald), Melodie Freeman (Fitzgerald), Jelissa Reese (Crisp County), Janiah Ellis (Thomas County Central), Shamari Manley (Fitzgerald), Nyja Carson (ASH), Brianna Pope (ASH) and Deasia Ford (ASH) among others. There will also be an eighth-grade team which will consist of Sumter County Middle School standouts Trinity Jackson, Tiffany Goodman and Avi’yonna Clemmons.

There will be games from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Four alumni teams will play against teams from the Columbus Blazers Exposure teams from Columbus, GA. The Georgia Sparks Exposure Eighth-Grade team will play twice against the Columbus Blazers Exposure eighth-grade team. The Georgia Sparks Exposure 10th-Grade team will play three games.

The money raised from this tournament will go to help with the expenses the Georgia Sparks Exposure teams will incur during the season. They will play in six Division I college exposure tournaments, allowing the girls to play against the best competition in the country, as well as play in front of several college coaches.

The team will travel to four tournaments in Louisville, Kentucky, as well as tournaments in Atlanta, Columbus and several local tournaments.

Those who would like more information or would like to become sponsors can contact Rick Jones at 229-425-3499 or Regina Jones at 912-310-8751.