Express Forward Jamie Sowers To Be On ANSS TV
November 9, 2009 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Jersey Express News Release
East Orange, N.J. (Monday, November 9, 2009) - Jersey Express fans have known for a while that Jamie "Showtime" Sowers has top-notch professional talent, and now an international audience will join them in seeing it first-hand. After making his way through a preliminary round in Brooklyn that featured almost 200 hopefuls, the playmaking forward will soon hit the primetime airways on Versus as a contestant on the new reality series, America's Next Sports Star.
"A friend called and gave me the heads-up about the show, so I headed out to Hoopland in Brooklyn for the casting call," Sowers reflected. "They ran an NBA-type combine that focused on the basic skill set that it takes to play at the professional level. In addition to testing your skill level and overall talent, they gave you a hard look on your basketball IQ. In the end, I was able to make it through the casting and through to the finals."
Debuting on November 24th, America's Next Sports Star will air at 6:00 p.m. every Tuesday on Versus and is hosted by two-time NBA champion Craig Hodges. In addition to a preliminary round in Brooklyn, the show also held open tryouts in Newark and Miami. Among the skills their panel of judges broke down during the tryouts were passing, shooting, ball handling and dunks. Four players were selected from each city to move onto the actual show, with Sowers being one of those elite players.
"This whole process really fueled my drive and hunger, and it let me know what I need to do to take my game to the next level," Sowers commented. "Hopefully, this can give me the look that I couldn't get before. It definitely let me know that I have the talent and IQ to play at the highest pro level."
The winner of America's Next Sports Star will be announced on the final episode, which will air on January 5th. Along with an all expense paid trip to Las Vegas, that player will receive a contract with a top pro sports agency.
The Express will open their 2009-10 season on Saturday, November 21st, when they host the New York City Thunder at 7:00 p.m. Season and opening night ticket tickets are available now, and they can be obtained through the team website at www.jerseyexpress.net. All Express home games will also be broadcasted live through the Newark Radio Series.
"I'm focused on helping lead the Express to a championship," Sowers said of the upcoming season. "We open the season the weekend before the show airs, so people will get a chance to see me play first. Hopefully, when the show comes on, they'll tune in to see how far I make it. I know that by being on the show, along with if we can win the ABA title for New Jersey, I'll get my shot."
The Jersey Express is a member of the American Basketball Association and is currently preparing for their fifth season in the ABA. Quaasim Austin is the head coach of the Express with Cassandra Smith serving as his assistant coach, and the team will play their home schedule this year at East Orange Campus High School. The Express made the playoffs in each of their past two seasons and reached the ABA Elite Eight last year in Nashville, Tennessee.
For ABA league information, fans are encouraged to log onto www.abalive.com.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
American Basketball Association Stories from November 9, 2009
- Maryland Marvels Win Third Pre-Season Game - ABA
- Los Angeles Slam Announces One Last Tryout Chance - ABA
- Express Forward Jamie Sowers To Be On ANSS TV - Jersey Express
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