80 The QUENS Courier • MAY 8, 2014 for breaking news visit www.queenscourier.com sports SCHOOL OVER SPORTS GOIN’ GOLFIN’ PSAL basketball all-star chooses school over his sport BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected] @liamlaguerre In a small classroom in Campus Magnet High School, the PSAL’s 2014 top scorer Nohah Vickers stumbled over an emotional speech before signing his National Letter of Intent. He had just two shirts representing the schools that offered him full scholarships to play basketball at the next level. The first was Delaware State University — a Division I school that plays in the same conference as Norfolk State University, where pro player and former Campus Magnet standout Kyle O’Quinn played. The other shirt was for Division II Mercyhurst University, a liberal arts Catholic college. After getting through his emotional story about the season, his basketball journey and the painstakingly difficult decision of which college to choose — which he couldn’t even make until the same morning — Vickers finally said it: “Mercyhurst.” “I wanted to choose a school that best fits me, education-wise,” Vickers said at the event on Thursday, May 1. Vickers, who led the league averaging 33.2 points per game and finished with 466 points scored, chose getting a degree and focusing on education over playing Division I basketball. Besides being an all-star player, Vickers is a scholar who will graduate with a 93 percent average. A very small percentage of college players from Division I schools actually go to the NBA — it’s an even smaller percentage from high school. At 5’9’’, 165 pounds, Vickers’ chances were reduced even further. “Every kid that accepts a college scholarship, they think the next step from the college scholarship is the NBA,” Ken Vickers, Nohah’s father, said. “I know the next step for Nohah that relieves me as a parent is the job market.” Campus Magnet HS head coach Charles Granby has preached his famous message of brains before basketball to his players for the 45 years he’s been at the sidelines, and taught players to dedicate themselves to getting their degrees. Granby retired this year, but was present for Vickers’ selection party, and was proud of his choice. “He’ll play for four years and after he comes out of there, he will have to find a J-O-B,” Granby said. “I always tell the boys, ‘Don’t wind up in the prison system, get that degree because that degree is your invitation to the party.’” Vickers isn’t giving up on sports yet, though. He plans to major in sports management at Merychurst. THE COURIER/Photo by Liam La Guerre Nohah Vickers, the PSAL’s top boys basketball scorer, signed his letter of intent to play for a Division II team instead of a Division I. NEW QUEENS GOLF ORG HOPES TO GROW SPORT IN BLACK COMMUNITY BY LIAM LA GUERE [email protected]/@liamlaguerre They’re not specifically looking for the next Tiger Woods, but two golf-loving Queens residents are hoping their new nonprofit can help foster the sport in the black community. Vernel Bennett, of Laurelton, and Jacques Leandre, of Rosedale, started the United Black Golfers Association (UBGA) — the first of its kind in Queens, they said — and the group will begin hosting meet-ups on golf courses shortly. Both Bennett, the president of the nonprofit, and his vice president, Leandre, were convinced to play the sport by others and know there is interest, but the sport isn’t as readily available. The nonprofit seeks to provide opportunities for people to play the game. “If we were exposed to it, we would love it,” Bennett said about the black community. “But our community is exposed to the typical stuff: a basketball court, a baseball field, a football field …” Bennett, a retired accountant, started playing golf after his son’s recommendation and a lesson on a cruise about seven years ago. He fell in love with the sport and after competing in tournaments and joining the Roosevelt Golf Association, and he realized the benefits of golfing, including the networking side. He believes through golf, members of the organization will be able to connect even if there is a generational gap. The UBGA is co-ed, and accepts anyone over the age of 18. There is a monthly membership fee of $20, after a one-time $100 fee. The UBGA will make group trips to golf courses around the city, Long Island and even New Jersey several times each month. And for beginners there are private lessons available from certified trainers, with group and individual packages. Since announcing the creation of the association, Leandre said they have gotten a positive response from the community on social media. “The interest is there, but the engine isn’t. Right now UBGA is going to serve as the vehicle to take people to the golf course,” Leandre said. “It’s about exposing and creating an outlet for people to have a game that will last a lifetime.” Visit unitedblackgolfers.org or call 917-300-8310 to apply for membership. Photo courtesy The United Black Golfers Association UBGA Vice President Jacques Leandre and President Vernel Bennett hopes to foster golf in the black community with their new group.
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