Iverson, watch out: Students score at 76ers shootout event

While NBA teams made their 1999 draft picks at the end of June, the Philadelphia 76ers were still busily recruiting last night -- on College Green. Students and members of the Penn community tried their hand at two-ball, a basketball shootout game, not for a place on the team, but for prizes ranging from keychains and posters for participants to free game tickets for the winners. In an effort to cultivate a fan base at colleges in the region, including Penn, members of the 76ers front office -- with the help of radio station Y-100 -- held the shootout. It was hosted by World B. Free, a former NBA All-Star and now the team's community relations player representative. The College Tour, now in its second year, started earlier this month and will end in mid-October. Its latest stop was part of the University's "No Place Like Penn" weekend. According to Bree Jones, the team's community relations coordinator, the tour's goal is to "show college students the Sixers" and "get our name and face out there." Penn students did just that, with 1 1/2 hours of competition. Even though Hip-Hop -- the team's mascot -- did not attend, students walking in front of Van Pelt Library stopped to see what was happening as men and women in 76ers attire set up a basketball hoop and a table with sign-up forms and prizes. Each contestant was given 45 seconds to make as many shots as possible from different spots labeled around the hoop, set up near the Button. Shots were assigned point values based on their distances to the basket. The top score of the day was 55 points. The male and female winners of the shooting contest each won two free tickets to a 76ers game. Also up for grabs were team license plates and student discount cards. Every contestant received a prize. Additionally, at a separate Y-100 tent, representatives distributed free concert and movie tickets to passersby. Using a loudspeaker and then a microphone, Free challenged everyone to try to win tickets to 76ers games, encouraging students and community members to attend games as well. "I just heard all the commotion," College junior Eileen Munoz said. "They told me to try to shoot some baskets, so I tried." College sophomore Vikram Veeramachaneni, who competed last year as well, said that the event shows that the Sixers "appreciate the fans." Play continued as the skies darkened, ending before 8 p.m. when the next "No Place Like Penn" event got underway. Students gathered to watch the classic film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the recent hit comedy There's Something About Mary.

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