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Collins returns, attends Hall of Fame dinner SEVERAL BASKETBALL HONOREES AT GALA (4/15/07)
Collins had recently returned to his day-to-day duties as head coach after a 3½-month personal leave due to fatigue and medical problems, as reported in last Friday’s Chicago Tribune. Collins sat with fellow coaches, family and former UIC assistant Gene Cross, while enjoying the ceremony and applauding the 1997-98 and 2003-04 basketball squads that were honored as part of UIC’s 25th anniversary of Division I athletics. Collins was enthusiastic about returning to work and is optimistic about the future. He was mingling and genuinely happy to be back with the Flames family. “I feel really good. I’m glad to be back,” said Collins, adding that he appreciates the support of Flames fans during his absence. Collins plans on talking to some recruits in the coming days in hopes to persuade them to join the program. Later in the week, Collins will field questions about his leave and the state of the team. The Hall of Fame inducted six new members, including basketball Ivan Daniels (1981-85), who was drafted by the NBA’s Indiana Pacers in the fifth round of the 1985 draft. Daniels was part of the 1983-84 Flames squad that won the Mid-Continent Conference regular-season championship. That team was also honored as part of the school’s silver anniversary of Division I. Daniels was not present at the banquet, so former teammate Darryl Rice accepted the honor on Daniels’ behalf. Other inductees included longtime coach Mike McGovern, who is best known for bringing the Flames’ softball program into national prominence; former athletic administrator John Lowenberg, who is now works for the university in development; women’s tennis player Jacki (Farr) Fralick (1997-2001), men’s soccer player Eric Lukin (1997-2000) and softball player Samantha Iuli (1997-2000), who practically rewrote the school’s record book in both pitching and batting categories. CATCHING UP WITH THE OLD FLAMES Numerous former Flames men’s basketball players attended the ceremonies. Here’s an update on some of them: MARTELL BAILEY: The one-time Flames’ point-guard whiz has hopes of playing in the United States Basketball League this summer with his brother David, once David finishes his obligations in Greece. ANTHONY COOMES: The two-year point guard is still working professionally in downtown Chicago and commutes daily from Bucktown. He was a frequent visitor to the Pavilion last season. CLIFFTON FLAGG: The center at UIC in Coach Collins’ first two years at UIC, Flagg is living in Springfield and is running a retail store. JABARI HARRIS: The former Flames forward, who was with the squad for five years, is happily married and has a two-year-old son. CLIFTON JACKSON: The Detroit native played parts of two seasons for the Flames. Now he works for Coca-Cola as truck driver back in his hometown. THEANDRE KIMBROUGH: The slick-shooting guard of the late ’90s is currently enjoying life, helping to mentor kids at the Boys and Girls Club in Waukegan. CORY LITTLE: He said he has played professional basketball in South America and Europe over the past few years. Currently, he is helping to coach at Driscoll Catholic High School in Addison. “I’m hoping to play in Israel next season with Jordan Kardos,” Little said about his future. MARK MILLER: The Hall of Fame guard said that there was no professional basketball opportunity that wowed him enough to go back overseas. JOVAN STEFANOV: The fifth-year UIC student is closing in on finishing his Masters’ degree. He is hoping to hire an agent soon in hopes of landing with a professional basketball team. FRANK WADE: The former walk-on with the Flames from 1997 to 1999, “Tanker” now works as an exercise physiologist with Archer Daniels Midland Company based in Decatur. He is happily married to Kristen. KENNY WILLIAMS: The former Mid-Continent Player of the Year and the Flames’ No. 2 all-time leading scorer left the ABA’s Chicago Rockstars after the suspended operations in the winter. He is currently working with Chemical Personnel Search as an IT recruiter in West suburban Westchester. Williams hopes to return to his love of basketball in some capacity.
Current guard and soon-to-be junior Josh Mayo was helping out at the ceremony. Mayo said that he hopes that [his teammates’] “academics take care of themselves.” He is excited about the prospects for next season and adds that his tooth is fine. “It’s all back in one piece,” he said smiling. … Word is that the Flames have three scholarships to offer during the late signing period, meaning that there could be some defections. … Plenty of people are raving about newcomers Jeremy Buttell, Robert Kreps and Tori Boyd as being key parts of next season’s team. … Buttell has been helping the athletic department at baseball games. … Among the guests at the dinner were Horizon League commissioner Jon LeCrone and longtime UIC communications professor Jack Jones. … The fire alarm blared about 20 minutes before the start of cocktail hour, forcing everyone to wait outside the FAC until the fire department checked the building. BOWEN’S NBADL SEASON WRAPS UP: Justin Bowen completed his rookie professional season with the Austin Toros of the NBA Developmental League, averaging 9.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. He shot 53 percent from the field, 35 percent from three-point range and 66 percent from the free-throw line in 44 games, including 14 starts. In his final game, a 111-92 loss to Dakota on Saturday night, Bowen had 16 points on 7-for-11 shooting and five rebounds. He scored in double figures in his last 11 contests and 15 of the last 16. He posted double figures in rebounds on five occasions. In his last 13 games (all as a starter), he averaged 15.5 points and 7.1 rebounds. Bowen’s season highs were 27 points, 15 rebounds and six assists. |
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