April 25, 2006

ARLINGTON, Texas - Former Texas-Arlington men's basketball players, Jarrett Howell and Steven Thomas have both invited to take part in the 2006 Rare Caliber All-Star Challenge, hosted by Hofstra University.

The Rare Caliber All-Star Challenge is a post-season, pre-draft invitational basketball tournament created to provide outstanding college seniors with a unique opportunity to showcase their basketball talents.

Sixty-four top performing seniors from Division I colleges and universities across the country will be invited to participate in the three day tournament. All thirty NBA teams, as well as teams in Europe, Asia, South America and throughout the world will also be invited to send their representatives and scouts to assess the assembled talent.

"Both Jarrett and Steven have worked so hard for this," UTA head coach Scott Cross said. "They have poured their heart and soul into our program for the last three-plus seasons and they deserve this opportunity."

All net proceeds will support the efforts of MPowering Kids, a not-for-profit academic program, which provides tutoring, mentoring, and cultural enrichment to at-risk, underprivileged children.

The tournament will take place April 27-29, at Hofstra University Arena in Hempstead, N.Y.