WIESBADEN, Germany -- It'll be a showdown of talent Sept. 6 at the Wiesbaden Fitness Center as the best Soldier athletes in Europe face off against a team of top-notch college players from the United States.
After two weekends of tryouts to identify Installation Management Command-Europe's 15 best basketball players, including players from Wiesbaden, Vicenza and Baumholder among other places, the IMCOM-E All-Stars are training hard to face a squad of 10 players recruited from training camps in the United States.
"These are college-level players who didn't get drafted, but who may be interested in playing in the German leagues," said Tony Lee, IMCOM-E's chief of garrison support element, explaining that German trainer, Hans Beck, attended two different stateside training camps in search of players interested in competing against German teams, "so that German coaches could get a look at them.
"They asked to play a game on a military installation," added Lee, with the result that IMCOM-Europe sports officials saw an opportunity for some first-rate basketball action.
"We're trying to take the best Army talent from throughout Europe," said Assistant Coach Andre Negron. "This is a great opportunity for them -- to just go out and relax and play against some great players.
"I coach the post team here," said Negron, a warrant officer with the 24th Military Intelligence Battalion. "This is cool -- during the off season -- an opportunity to re-energize these guys. While the stateside players may have the size and skills to give them an advantage, I know our guys will go out there and fight to the end of the last quarter. It's going to be interesting."
Negron added that because of the experience level of his All-Stars, the players are not having to spend a lot of time on the basics, but rather can refine their tactics and teamwork.
"This will give a lot of these guys an opportunity to be looked at by other coaches," said All-Star Coach Theodus Green, sports director in U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder. "Maybe a couple of our Soldiers will get a chance to play in the German leagues.
"We're going to be competitive," said Green, "and we're playing to win. I want these guys to have fun."
Green added that he's looking forward to doing more similar events in the future with IMCOM-Europe. "And I hope that we do this for the ladies as well," he said.
The Sept. 6 All-Star Showdown, which starts at 6 p.m., will also feature Youth Sports Basketball and Cheerleading Clinics in conjunction with the event from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. that day. Registration deadline for the YS clinics is Sept. 5. Stop by Parent Central Services in Building 1213 on Clay Kaserne or call civ (0611) 143-548-9356.
For more information on the IMCOM-E All-Star Basketball Showdown visit Wiesbaden.armymwr.com or call civ (0611) 143-548-9830.
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