By Mekhi Abbott
Special to the AFRO
mabbott@afro.com
On Jan. 20, the University of Maryland, the University of Texas, Baylor University and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) women’s basketball teams all took a trip to the Garden State to participate in the Coretta Scott King Classic. The women’s basketball tournament at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., marks the first time the Kings’ family name has been licensed for any sporting event.
The Coretta Scott King Classic featured some of the best talent in college basketball, with all four teams being ranked nationally. In the first game of the “historic women’s basketball doubleheader,” a top-ranked UCLA team dominated the No. 25-ranked Baylor Bears, 72-57. The Bruins led the Bears from start to finish. The second game proved to be an even bigger blowout. No. 7-ranked Texas defeated No. 8-ranked Maryland, 89-51. The Longhorns held the Terrapins to only 18 points in the first half.
“We are very honored to have the opportunity to compete in the first-ever Coretta Scott King Classic in Newark. It is a privilege to honor such a powerful woman and her family on Martin Luther King Jr. Day this year as we play to celebrate their legacy of courage and commitment to social justice,” said Baylor head coach Nicki Collen.
UCLA center Lauren Betts led the Bruins in scoring while guard Gabriella Jaquez pitched in 11 points and 13 rebounds. The Bruins improved to 18-0 on the season, with a 6-0 record in B1G play. All-American Madison Booker led Texas in scoring with 28 points on a very efficient 13-for-19 shooting from the field. Postgame, Texas head coach Vic Schaefer spoke on Martin Luther King’s impact on him and his team.
“Last week I talked about Dr. King and his bravery. I try to impart on these kids all the time about what makes a great leader. It’s somebody that’s a servant leader, someone who is thinking about someone else other than themselves. This event is named after his wife, so I want you all to think for a minute. That’s what this event was named after, Coretta. Think about her bravery. We wouldn’t have done anything on this day other than play in this event,” said Schaefer.
From the beginning to the end, No. 1-ranked UCLA simply outmatched Baylor. Maryland was unable to put up much offensive production after their second-leading scorer and the reigning B1G Player of the Week Shyanne Sellers went down with a knee injury. Maryland head coach Brenda Frese said that Sellers will go through testing on Jan. 21 to discover the severity of the injury.
Maryland is already going through a guard shortage on their roster as their third-leading scorer and “best defender,” according to Frese, Brianna McDaniel announced that she will be out for the rest of the season with a torn ACL in her right knee.
The event was sponsored by FOX Sports, and following the basketball slate, FS1 aired “MLB at Rickwood Field: A Tribute to the Negro Leagues.” The presentation paid homage to Rickwood Field, which is the oldest professional ball park in the country and used to be the home of the Birmingham Black Barons, one of the most historic Negro League baseball teams in American history.
The night was capped off by the airing of the hip-hop documentary “Jackie Robinson: Get to the Bag.” The documentary touches on his legacy in baseball and beyond, including his significant contribution to social justice and American culture.
Dr. King lived in Camden, N.J., from 1948 to 1951 while studying to become a minister. His fight for civil rights may have started there when he protested a restaurant in Maple Shade that wouldn’t serve Black customers. He also received an honorary doctorate from St. Peter’s College in Jersey City in 1965 and spoke in the state several times.
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