Senate Concurrent Resolution 602

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING THE VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM OF CHRIST MISSIONARY & INDUSTRIAL COLLEGE AND METRO COACH-OF-THE-YEAR VICTOR EVANS FOR WINNING THE MISSISSIPPI PRIVATE SCHOOL ASSOCIATION ACADEMY OVERALL CHAMPIONSHIP.

WHEREAS, the Varsity Boys Basketball Team of Christ Missionary & Industrial College (High School) set and achieved its goal to be winners in the 2001-2002 season; and

WHEREAS, the team excelled by defeating several Academy AAAA schools this season. Among those were Jackson Academy, Hillcrest, Jackson Prep and Madison-Ridgeland Academy. C. M. & I. also won the Jackson Academy Invitational Tournament. The varsity team took first place in its conference; and

WHEREAS, in tournament play, they were District 4-A Champions, Central Class A Champions, State A Champions and MPSA ACADEMY OVERALL CHAMPIONS; C. M. & I. ended the season with an outstanding record of 35 wins and 7 losses; and

WHEREAS, honors received by players are as follows: Academy Overall Tournament Team - Julius Love, Landon Veal, Adrian Carpenter, Jason Berry and Kareem Burnett; All-Conference - Jason Berry, Kareem Burnett, Landon Veal and Julius Love; All-District - Jason Berry, Kareem Burnett, Julius Love, Landon Veal and Adrian Carpenter; All-Central State - Landon Veal, Jason Berry, Julius Love and Justin Carter; All-State - Julius Love, Landon Veal, Jason Berry and Kareem Burnett; First Team MPSA - Landon Veal; Second Team MPSA - Julius Love; Clarion Ledger - Julius Love; all five starters made top performance at least once during the season - Julius Love, Justin Carter, Landon Veal, Kareem Burnett, Jason Berry and Adrian Carpenter; and

WHEREAS, the team was guided by Head Coach Victor Evans, Assistant Coach Larry McCoy and Junior High Coach Leroy Oatis. Coach Evans was named Metro Coach-of-the-Year. Coach Evans is a native of Jackson, Mississippi. He is a graduate of Callaway High School and attended Wiley College in Marshall, Texas where he lettered in basketball for three years. He played professional basketball for one season with the Albuquerque Silvers in New Mexico. Upon returning to Jackson, Mississippi, he continued to work in the community volunteering his services to inner city and at-risk children through various sports programs; being a former student of C. M. & I., his passion for the school was rekindled in 1999 when he returned to the school to help revive the athletic program; and

WHEREAS, the road to the MPSA Championship was an uphill battle. Building off of Coach Vic's motto, "We will never give up!" the team took the challenge to go to the top. The Varsity Boys Basketball Team consisted of the following players: Jason Berry-Guard-Senior, Landon Veal-Guard-Junior, Justin Carter-Guard-Junior, Jason Carter-Guard-Junior, Theron White-Guard-Junior, Jessie Benfield-Forward, Kareem Burnett-Forward-Senior, Julius Love-Forward-Junior, Adrian Carpenter-Forward-Junior, Antonio Clincy-Forward-Senior, Calvin Thompson-Forward-Freshman; Jeremy Robinson and Roderick Shinnard, Managers; and

WHEREAS, it is with great pride that we recognize the accomplishments of this dedicated group of student athletes, who have brought honor to their school, their community, and to the State of Mississippi:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend and congratulate the Varsity Boys Basketball Team of Christ Missionary & Industrial College (C. M. & I.) and Metro Coach-of-the-Year Victor Evans for winning the Mississippi Private School Association Academy Overall Championship, and wish the team continued success in its future athletic and scholastic endeavors.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to Coach Evans and the C. M. & I. team and Headmaster Darel Thigpen, and be made available to the Capitol Press Corps.