VALDOSTA — On April 16, the Lowndes Vikings men's basketball team hosted the Rebound Ministries Unsigned Senior Basketball Showcase.
Thirty athletes from four different states participated in the showcase and participated in numerous drills. These drills ranged from warm-up basketball drills to simple five-on-five games as college coaches considered potential additions to their respective teams.
Lowndes High School boys basketball head coach Leshon Benjamin believes showcases like this are essential for athletes in South Georgia and the surrounding area.
“I think this is important for high school athletes, and I think it’s even more important for South Georgia,” Benjamin said. “Sometimes South Georgia gets a bad rap just because it's known for other dominant sports, like football and sometimes baseball. People come here after the season and it's a one-stop shop with 20 to 25 people. It's amazing to have a situation like this where you can play in front of a coach like this. I don't think there are many people around here who hold showcases like this. That’s great because you don’t see anything on a larger scale.”
Benjamin said the showcase is still fairly new, and this is the fifth time the showcase has been held. It all started with Buster Montgomery of Rebound Ministries, an organization that helps players achieve their college goals by providing opportunities to showcase their talents.
This event has been held in various locations throughout its history. In 2023, Valdosta High School hosted the event.
Montgomery praised Benjamin and Valdosta boys basketball coach James Lee for their work in making the event possible.
“We are very fortunate to have an event like this at a school like Lowndes High School,” Montgomery said. “The facilities here are top-notch. Last year we hosted Valdosta High School and it was great as well. We not only welcome them to host this event, but also take responsibility to make it as great as possible.” Having coaches like Coach Benjamin and Coach Lee to help you make it happen makes a huge difference for athletes and college coaches.”
Benjamin said the showcase has been quite successful for players, even though it's still a relatively new event.
“We started this about four or five years ago,” Benjamin said. “I remember the first time I saw it, I think there were nine or 10 kids who got scholarship offers just by playing that night. There's no better opportunity. Like this. Having the opportunity to play for a great coach and earn a college scholarship can be life-changing.”