Centennial alumni team
Coaches: Bryson Davis-Johnson, Jeff Johnson and Jimmie McDonald
ROSTER
NO. PLAYER CLASS
0 Tiger O’Neil 2010
1 Bryson Cowper 2019
2 Kam Reaves 2017
3 Jordan Johnson 2009
4 Kasey Carter 2014
5 Tommy Makabu 2018
10 Terrion Howard 2015
11 Taylen Alexander 2012
12 Jamonte Williams 2019
23 James Kinney 2009
25 Dedric Byrd 2014
32 Quin Nottingham 2016
55 Josh Piper 2011
Observations: The three coaches all were members of Centennial’s 2008-09 team that won a Class 3A state championship, as were O’Neil, Jordan Johnson, Kinney and Piper. That talent will mix well with the abilities of more recent graduates, including former Parkland College products Nottingham and Makabu. Centennial’s alumni team could have been even more potent, too, but former Illini Rayvonte Rice and Michael Finke had professional conflicts.
Champaign Central alumni teamCoaches: PJ Keaton and Keith Biggers
ROSTER
NO. PLAYER CLASS
1 Jay Simpson 2012
2 Germaine Roebuck 2015
4 Kam Rowan 2014
5 Jordan Caroline 2014
11 Fred Grear 2015
12 Verdell Jones III 2008
14 Donald “Ducky” Stewart 2008
22 Jordan Lee 2006
23 A’Kieon Gill 2018
24 Tim Finke 2018
41 Clayton Jones 2012
42 Jordan Walker 2009
44 Spence Johnson 2006
Observations: Biggers, Stewart and Verdell Jones helped Central place third at the 2008 Class 3A state tournament. News-Gazette columnist Simpson (Purdue), Caroline (Southern Illinois and Nevada), Verdell Jones (Indiana), Johnson (UMKC), Clayton Jones (Illinois) and Rowan (Western Illinois) all played Division I, while Tim Finke is still playing at Wright State.
Colin Likas is the preps coordinator at The News-Gazette. He can be reached at clikas@news-gazette.com, or on Twitter at @clikasNG.
