ALUMNI UPDATE: Notree a CBA star

(2/24/03)

Former Flame swingman Bryant Notree, who played his senior season at UIC in 1998-99, is now a star in the Continental Basketball Association.

Notree (pictured) plays for the Gary (Ind.) Steelheads and leads the team in scoring with an average of 21.7 points per game—good for fifth in the league. He is also averaging 5.3 rebounds per contest and is second on the team in steals with 162. One of his teammates for much of the season was former Phoenix Suns forward Oliver Miller.

He started for the American All-Stars in the CBA All-Star Game Jan. 14 and scored 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting and grabbed nine rebounds. The National team won, 140-125.

Notree averaged 15.0 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as for a 7-21 Flames team that was coming off an NCAA tournament berth the year before. He played his first three years at Illinois—two under current UIC coach and then-Illini assistant Jimmy Collins. He starred as a prep at Simeon High on the South side of Chicago.

STEVE FARMER: The former Flames walk-on from 1998-99 finished his collegiate athletic career as a tight end at Tennessee State. He caught 13 passes for 191 yards and no touchdowns as senior last fall.

In his only year at UIC, Farmer played in 25 games, starting seven. He averaged 3.4 points and 4.0 rebounds for the Flames. He had two double-doubles (12 points, 11 rebounds vs. Florida International; 15 points, 10 rebounds vs. Montana).

The Michigan City, Ind. native left UIC to pursue football at Joliet Junior College, and then Tennessee State.

CORY LITTLE AND OTHERS: A key member of last year’s Horizon League tournament champions, Cory Little is now helping the coaches at Driscoll high school’s boys basketball program in Addison. He hopes to be an assistant coach some day.

Little, a graduate of Addison Trail High seems happy with his basketball life, and even joked about his alma mater’s difficulties. When asked if he had any high school eligibility left, because Addison Trail could use him, Little said: “They could use a lot of people right now.”

The Blazers are 0-25 this season, dead last in the West Suburban Gold.

Little is one of several Flames alumni that have frequented the Pavilion this year. The others include forward Bryant Lowe, guards Jordan Kardos, Drennon Jones, Jimmy Sexton, and former assistant coach and player Rob Johnson.