By Malcolm Butler
Cedar Creek junior Jack Bell said he was in Hobby Lobby Monday when he received a text that made his day.
The Cougars sharp-shooting forward found out in a group text that he and his Creek teammates would be playing a game at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans in January prior to a Pelicans game.
“I am pretty excited about it. It’s pretty cool,” said Bell. “(Mrs Beth Waldro ) text us in the GroupMe, and I had a real big smile on my face. I just wasn’t expecting that. It’s awesome. I have definitely not gotten to do anything like that before and no one else at Cedar Creek has either.”
The Cougars and Lady Cougars will both play Saline on January 5 prior to New Orleans’ game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Game times for the Creek contests are still to be determined.
“I am a pretty big Pelicans fan,” said Bell. “I like that new rookie Jordan Hawkins. He played at UConn. He is really good.”
Lady Cougars head coach Katie Hall said her girls were pumped about the opportunity as well.
“Oh they were fired up,” said Hall. “Several of them started rattling off names of Clippers players when they found out who the Pelicans were playing. Just having a road trip like that will be cool.”
According to Creek boys coach Lance Waldron, the Saline boys head coach set up the game.
“We just confirmed it over the weekend,” said Waldron. “We are supposed to be contacted by the Pelicans organization this week to work out the details. The kids are super excited about the opportunity.”
Although Hall said it will be a great experience for her team, she laughed about some of the unknowns for the players.
“I don’t know if they realize how big the court is going to be, and how they are going to feel like they are dying,” joked Hall.
The Cougars and Lady Cougars will host the Neill Killgore Memorial Tournament this Thursday through Saturday at the Brickhouse.
