Athletes play for charity

By Anne McLaren
Assistant Sports Editor

Drew Brees showed he is more than just a football player, and the Tiffany Young Youth Center received donations of more than $4,500 in the second annual Tiffany Young Celebrity Basketball game Friday night in Mackey Arena.

Young, who would have been a senior guard for the women's basketball team during the 1999-2000 season, died July 31, 1999, after being hit by a drunk driver.

"Exactly one year and nine months ago, our lives changed tremendously," said Young's father, Billy Ray Young, who spoke at halftime. "But to look at your faces and look at all of you who came out tonight, it makes us feel good."

Many former Purdue athletes played in the game, including Brees, Tyrelle Collins, Rosevelt Colvin, Mackenzie Curless, Carson Cunningham, Keith Dawson, Katie Douglas, Rocco Foggio, Stephanie (White) McCarty, Chukie Nwokorie and Michelle (Duhart) Robinson. Approximately 2,000 people showed up for the event.

In the first half, Brees displayed his basketball skills, scoring more than 20 of his team's points, mostly on reverse layups.

"He was incredible," said Douglas. "I told him to watch out because Coach Keady might start recruiting him. He did a good job for us and he really carried us in the first half."

The other football players, including NFL players Colvin (Bears) and Nwokorie (Colts), also showed off their talents with dunks and 3-pointers.

Nwokorie, who was seen enveloping Douglas to keep her from playing, said it was hard to stay with some of the basketball players.

"I was tired," said Nwokorie. "I'm used to running a straight line. I'm conditioning right now but apparently I need more work."

Camille Cooper, who organized the event, said she enjoyed watching Kerry Cremeans and Pam Stackhouse, assistant coaches for the women's basketball team, play.

"They provided some comic relief," she said.

Cremeans and Stackhouse said they felt outmatched against the younger players.

"The only thing that you have when you're a has-been is a shot," said Cremeans, who played collegiately at Florida. "And when that's not falling, everything else went downhill."

Collins, who also helped to organize the event, said he was proud to play for Young's memory.

"Tiff was a really good friend of mine," said Collins, a former sprinter on the track team. "She helped me when I was going through things. Anything that I can do to help out for her foundation or her family, I'm going to do it."

Neil Sinclair, Young's fiancé, also displayed acrobatic moves in the game.

"I had a lot of fun," said Sinclair. "I feel really good about supporting what it's for. It's all about fun. That's why I wasn't playing serious. It's just a game."

The referees took part in the fun, even dribbling the ball down the court at one point in the game.

Because they were not able to play due to NCAA rules, the freshmen on the women's basketball team acted as cheerleaders.

"Nobody probably thought that we had it in us, but I've been a cheerleader all of my life," said forward Shereka Wright. "So I just wanted to show everybody all of my skills. The rest of them — no cheerleading skills at all."

McCarty, who plays for the WNBA's Indiana Fever, said the game was great.

"We all remember Tiff every day," she said. "We know that's what she stood for — helping others and hopefully preparing others for the future. Hopefully we can help her out by doing this and help her family out and her foundation out."

The foundation officially raised $4,529 from donations from the crowd in Mackey Arena. The funds will be used for the center in Young's hometown, Hillsboro, Ala.

"We raised a lot of money, not even counting the money in the mail and the other donations that will come in," said Cooper.

Young's father told the crowd that northern Alabama is now Purdue country.

"We love you; we thank God for you and you make life worth living," he said. "We're thankful for knowing that we had (a daughter) that so many people loved and we can see it on your faces."

Former player Mackenzie Curless, who was part the class of 2000 with Young, enjoyed coming back to play.

"When such good people get together and throw this together, it's really nice," said Curless. "It was good to see her family come back. It just brings back a lot of good memories."

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Sports editor:
Paul Trembacki

Assistant sports editor:
Anne McLaren

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