Celebrities, Arkansas Legislators Set to ‘Hoop for Kids’

House and Senate rosters have been set for Tuesday’s Hoops for Kids’ Sake, the inaugural Arkansas charity legislative basketball game.

The bipartisan exhibition game featuring former Razorbacks, celebrities and Arkansas legislators, will tip at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, at the Jack T. Stephens Center.  General admission tickets are $5 and available at the door.  Doors open at 6 p.m.

Arkansas Senate Roster and Coaches

Coaches: KTHV-11 sports anchor Mark Edwards and Senate President Pro Tempore Michael Lamoureux

Core Roster Players for the Senate

• Lt. Governor Mark Darr (“President of the Senate”)
• Sen. Paul Bookout
• Sen. Joyce Elliott
• Sen. Jake Files
• Sen. Jim Hendren
• Sen. Bart Hester
• Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson
• Sen. Robert Thompson

Celebrity Players for the Senate

• Former Razorback Sunday Adebayo
• Former Razorback Blake Eddins
• David Goins, a reporter for KARK-4/KLRT-16

Arkansas House Roster and Coach

Coach: KATV-7 sports anchor Steve Sullivan

Core Roster Players for the House

• Rep. David Branscum
• Speaker of the House Davy Carter
• Rep. Jim Dotson
• Rep. Jeremy Gillam
• Rep. Allen Kerr
• Rep. Kelley Linck
• Rep. Mark Lowery
• Rep. Stephanie Malone
• Rep. Andy Mayberry
• Rep. Reginald Murdock
• Rep. Mark Perry
• Rep. Matthew Shepherd
• Rep. Fred Smith (A former Harlem Globetrotter)
• Rep. John Vines
• Rep. Jeff Wardlaw
• Rep. Bruce Westerman
• Rep. Darrin Williams

Celebrity players for the House of Representatives

• Former Razorback Pat Bradley, host of the upcoming new morning sports talk show on 93.3 The Source
• Robert Burton, the KATV-7 weekend sports anchor and reporter.

The Arkansas Times has put together a scouting report and basketball card on each player. Check it out for a good laugh. The featured image is one of the card examples created by the Arkansas Times. Great stuff.

Celebrity Announcers

David Bazzel, the co-host of 103.7 The Buzz Show With No Name, will provide pre-game introductions, while his co-host RJ Hawk will provide play-by-play during the game. Hawk is also the public address announcer for the UALR Trojans. Bill Vickery, the host of The Sunday Buzz on 103.7 The Buzz, and Matt DeCample will provide color commentary.

Sponsors

A special thanks to UALR for hosting the event and to sponsors Arkansas Hospital Association, Arkansas Sports Performance Center, Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association, AT&T, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods, DBH Management Consultants, Entergy, Kum & Go, Paschall Strategic Communications, Ron Fuller Enterprises and Rusty Cranford.

All proceeds will benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas (BBBSCA), allowing the organization to continue its mission of providing children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.

“This first-time event is sure to be a fun, competitive game between the two chambers,” said Arkansas Speaker of the House Davy Carter, “and I’m hopeful we can have a good turnout to support Big Brothers Big Sisters.”

General admission tickets are $5 and available at the door. Doors open at 6pm. Sponsorships are $500. For sponsorship information, please contact BBBSCA Director of Development Lakethia Glenn at lglenn@bbbsca.org or 501-374-6661. Checks can be made payable to BBBSCA and mailed to BBBSCA, 312 W. Pershing Drive, North Little Rock, AR 72120.

“The Senate has recruited several key celebrity players,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Michael Lamoureux, “and I suspect that will be the key for our chamber to bring back the inaugural trophy to our side of the Capitol.”

For more than 40 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. As a donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. Most children served by Big Brothers Big Sisters are in single-parent and low income families or households where a parent is incarcerated. Learn how you can positively impact a child’s life, donate, or volunteer at bbbsca.org.