TYRONE JOHNSON CLASSIC

JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION

Juneteenth brings back so many memories from my youth, the time I spent with family members who have passed on are forever embedded in my mind. It's also a weekend that the Austin Elite holds their annual Tyrone Johnson Classic. Johnson was a former basketball player for the University of Texas and as a product of Central Texas schools and athletics, gave his all to help student athletes make the most of their abilities and to make opportunities available to them. He spearheaded the first fall league for Austin Independent School District (AISD) athletics and was instrumental in helping form the first sophomore league in Austin. As a coach, he led the Anderson High School Trojans to three district championships and two state championship finals, the closest Austin had come to winning a state championship. His life was cut short by a heart attack at the age of 49 on a hunting trip in 2001.



Fonzelle Martin and Tommy Gregg have become more than opposing coaches, they too have become family. I remember getting into a heated discussion the first time we met in what seems like a lifetime ago, however it was only 8 years. I have watched their daughters grow up along with mine into young womanhood. Martin has two playing college basketball and one playing college volleyball, while Gregg has a daughter playing college basketball.

Mrs. Martin shows it is truly a family affair as she has a team of her own

AMBER GREGG AND MOM

Amber, along with Fonzelle's daughters Cierra, Bianca and Kaylan, were all little girls playing up when we first met in what seems like eons ago.

Austin Elite has always put together some impressive teams and this tournament showed nothing has changed.





Two of their teams and the two Team Xpress squads made up the Final Four in the Doris Miller Bracket.

Even though Jessiah Johnson was directing traffic early and Chelsea Ngo was ready to launch her aerial attack

Team Xpress had a little too much firepower for us this day.

Inside and outside, Team Xpress was clicking on all cylinders.

Push The Rock, Austin Glory and Team Xpress were some of the other programs that joined the party

Art Pertile is the brains behind Waco Lady Panthers. I think his 20 plus year run has ended in "BEAR LAND" however he and Coach K from Houston may be joining forces.

DFW VS KABOOM

Even though "MUDD" has passed away, DFW Elite is still thriving.

Coach Butler continues what he and MJ started a few years ago and DFW Elite now boasts 9 teams, 3 competing here, 3 in San Antonio and on top of that, two of their 2013's committed at the UT Camp up the road.


Kaboom is a team from Corphus Christi and played like their name, aggressive and cleaned up.