Pargo accepts invite to play with all-stars
Chicago prep standout Jeremy Pargo, who last fall signed a national letter of intent with Gonzaga University, has accepted an invitation to participate in Saturday night’s Barnstormin’ Tour 2005 all-star men’s basketball game at Spokane Falls Community College.
Pargo, who averaged 24 points, eight rebounds and five assists for Robeson High School last winter, will play for the junior college/high school team against a group of seniors from three of the area’s four Division I universities – including former GU standout and West Coast Conference Player of the Year Ronny Turiaf.
“I’m really looking forward to playing one last time in front of my home fans and providing some kind of enjoyable atmosphere for them,” Turiaf, a 6-foot-10, 245-pounder, said of this year’s event. “It’s going to be very, very fun and interesting to see the young guys coming in here and measuring themselves against the old dogs like me.”
Turiaf will be joined on the Division I all-star roster by former GU teammate Brian Michaelson, former Washington State standouts Thomas Kelati and Jeff Varem, and Eastern Washington seniors Marc Axton – a first-team All-Big Sky Conference selection – and Khary Nicholas.
Pargo, who is still waiting on his most recent SAT scores to see if he will qualify academically to attend GU next fall, will be part of a junior college/high school team that also includes former Community Colleges of Spokane stars Jeremy Mangum and Kyle Janke, and Northern Colorado-bound Nik Raivio, the younger brother of Gonzaga point guard Derek Raivio and a four-year letterwinner at Vancouver’s Mountain View High School.
Among the former high school stars expected to play are Riverside’s Buddy Wood; Sandpoint’s Ben Mitchell; University’s Calvin Jurich, the Greater Spokane League’s player of the year, and Yakima Davis’ Humberto Perez, the reigning player of the year in the Big Nine Conference.
Barnstormin’ Tour 2005 organizer Jerid Keefer said he is pleased with the caliber of players who have agreed to participate in this year’s event, which will donate a portion of its proceeds to Coaches vs. Cancer.
“To be able to bring in a player of Jeremy’s stature and have him compete is going to be a real treat for everyone involved,” Keefer said in reference to Pargo, a 6-2, 215-pounder, who was ranked as the fifth-best point guard recruit in the nation in Lindy’s preseason college basketball magazine. “I think Jeremy’s got a very, very bright future at Gonzaga, and it’s going to be great having him make his Spokane debut in our game.”
Turiaf said fans can expect a high-flying, slam-dunking performance much like the one that played out in last year’s inaugural event.
“It’ll be such a different atmosphere,” Turiaf explained, “because none of us will have the pressure on us that we normally have during the season.”
General admission tickets for the game are $15 for lower-level seats and $10 for upper-level seats. They can be purchased at Spokane Athletic Supply, 307 E. Sprague; Jack & Dan’s Bar and Grill, 1226 N. Hamilton; and all area Les Schwab Tires outlets, which have only upper-level tickets available.
Anyone wanting sponsorship information on the event or wishing to make a donation to Coaches vs. Cancer can contact Keefer at (509) 242-8300.