Basketball: Ex-Huskers, Jays return to play in charity game

The Omaha Health and Wellness Academy is hoping to use a charity basketball game tonight to introduce itself to the community.

The game, featuring a number of former Creighton and Nebraska players, will begin at 6:30 at Omaha South High School. Former NBA star Spud Webb will address the crowd at halftime.

“There are some people that know who we are, but we want to use this game to give people a chance to see what we stand for as an organization,'' said Adam Barnes, the academy's president and director. “We feel the game also is a good way to do something for the community and the kids.''

Barnes and partners Tim Sinsel and Ken Melcher founded the academy to help foster instruction and development of young athletes in a number of sports. They plan to build a 300,000-square foot facility that will feature 10 basketball courts, indoor soccer and football fields, baseball and golf tunnels, a weight room and classrooms. The facility, at a yet to be determined site, is scheduled to be operational by 2011, Barnes said.

For now, most of the organization's focus has been on basketball, although it plans to expand to offer instruction in football, soccer, volleyball, golf, baseball, swimming and track and field.

“We're trying not to dip into too many things right off the bat,'' said Barnes, a Clay Center, Neb., native and Hastings College graduate. “But we have a lot of good programs that we're planning for the future.''

Barnes co-founded a similar business venture in Houston, where he came into contact with a number of professional athletes. His connections allowed the academy to bring Glen Davis of the Boston Celtics to Omaha this week to work at the Midwest Spotlight and Developmental Combine.

Former NBA star John Lucas also helped work the combine, which Barnes said drew about 85 participants to sites at South and Norris Middle School. A youth clinic for first- through fifth-graders will be today.

Barnes said his organization plans to hold a coaching clinic in September that will include professional and college coaches as clinicians. But most of the organization's work is in the training and development of young players.

Among those scheduled to participate in tonight's game are former Creighton players Anthony Tolliver, Nick Bahe and Pierce Hibma and former Huskers Wes Wilkinson, Bruce Chubick and Terrance Badgett. The Omaha Food Bank and the Ronald McDonald House are among charities that will benefit from the game.

Contact the writer:

679-2298, steve.pivovar@owh.com

The participants

Jared Anderson, Bellevue Wes Wilkinson, Nebraska Sean Pavan, South Dakota Ben Holling, Bellevue Matt Harms, Nebraska Wesleyan Dean Thompson, UNO Bruce Chubick, Nebraska Anthony Tolliver, Creighton Nick Svehla, UNK Jason Isaacson, Dana Nick Bahe, Creighton Terrance Badgett, Nebraska Charles Richardson, Nebraska Pierce Hibma, Creighton Larry Smith