H*5257 Resolution, By Haskins, Cato, Easterday, Leach, Rice, Vaughn and Wilkins
 A HOUSE RESOLUTION TO COMMEND THE GREENVILLE GROOVE ON A TERRIFIC FIRST SEASON
 OF COMPETITION AND TO CONGRATULATE THE TEAM ON WINNING THE 2002 NATIONAL
 BASKETBALL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP.

   05/09/02  House  Introduced and adopted HJ-30

TO COMMEND THE GREENVILLE GROOVE ON A TERRIFIC FIRST SEASON OF COMPETITION AND TO CONGRATULATE THE TEAM ON WINNING THE 2002 NATIONAL BASKETBALL DEVELOPMENT LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP.

Whereas, the Greenville Groove raised the trophy and celebrated their come-from-behind victory in the first ever National Basketball Development League Championship Game held in April of 2002; and

Whereas, the Greenville Groove is one of eight teams in the National Basketball Development League (NBDL), the official development league of the National Basketball Association (NBA); and

Whereas, the mission of the NBDL is to grow the game of basketball in the United States and around the world, to bring the NBA experience to mid-size non-NBA cities, to offer players the opportunity to develop their talent in a highly competitive atmosphere under the NBA's umbrella, and to serve as a diverse human resource pool for the NBA and its teams by training employees in management, operations, public relations, sales, and marketing positions in each NBDL city; and

Whereas, the Greenville Groove provided the upstate of South Carolina with exciting and affordable NBA-style basketball during the 2001-2002 inaugural season, playing a total of fifty-six games, including twenty-nine home games at the BI-LO Center; and

Whereas, Greenville met the team from North Charleston in the 2002 NBDL Championship game; having to overcome first-half foul trouble, the Groove eventually controlled the paint in the second half, closed out the game with an 18-2 run, and in the end defeated North Charleston by a score of 76-68; and

Whereas, Greenville guard Billy Thomas led the team with a game high twenty-eight points, his fourth straight playoff game with twenty or more points, followed by teammate Kimani Ffriend who contributed nineteen points and seven rebounds; and

Whereas, Head Coach Milton Barnes, a twenty-year coaching veteran with experience at the professional, collegiate, and high school level, leads the Groove, with help from Assistant Coach Stephanie Ready, the first woman ever to coach a men's professional basketball team; and

Whereas, the Greenville Groove is committed to enhancing Greenville County through the implementation of NBDL community programs such as Read to Achieve, Back to School, the NBDL Jumpball Clinic Series, the NBDL High School Sportsmanship Awards program, and the Heroes Among Us program; and

Whereas, the members of the House of Representatives are happy to celebrate the Greenville Groove's victory in the inaugural National Basketball Development League Championship and wish the team great success in the future. Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the South Carolina House of Representatives:

That the members of the House of Representatives, by this resolution, commend the Greenville Groove on a terrific first season of competition and congratulate the team on winning the 2002 National Basketball Development League Championship.

Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Head Coach Milton Barnes on behalf of the players, coaches, and staff of the Greenville Groove.