N.C. Department of
Correction--Correction News--April 1998
UNC Basketball Team Visits Central Prison
RALEIGH - Two
days after winning the ACC tournament and just two days before
beginning first-round play in the NCAA tournament, the UNC
men’s basketball team took a break from practice to visit
the inmates and employees of Central Prison.
 Warden French and UNC Coach Guthridge
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UNC Coach Bill Guthridge brought the men’s
basketball team to the prison March 10 to visit with
inmates and staff, answer questions, sign autographs and
show off the team’s talents in the prison gym. Gathered
courtside for the Heels’ performance were more than
100 inmates and a handful of correction employees. The
group watched and cheered as Antawn Jamison and Vince
Carter, dressed in blue and white warm-up gear, easily
stuffed the ball in the goal with behind-the-back jams.
Central Prison Warden James French said the team has
visited the prison several times over the past ten years.
However, this year’s visit was especially exciting
coming two days after the Heels captured the ACC title
and being the same day that Guthridge was named ACC Coach
of the Year and Jamison was named ACC Player of the Year.
In a letter to Coach Guthridge and the team, Kenneth
Harris, associate warden of programs at Central Prison
wrote, "Visits like this mean a great deal to the
men here who often feel lonely and forgotten. Just the
fact that you and the team cared enough to come in and
share with them at a time when you are preparing for the
‘NCAA Tourney’ sends a message to many here
that, yes, there are people who care."
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All the inmates in the regular population were invited to
attend the basketball exhibition. "They’ve all been
real excited," French said.
The inmates’ excitement was matched only by the
excitement exhibited by the DOC employees in attendance. Armed
with basketball programs, newspapers highlighting UNC’s win,
caps and basketballs, the employees rushed from one player to the
next seeking autographs - most claiming that the autographs were
for someone other than themselves.
During the autograph session, Shammond Williams stood
underneath the goal bouncing a ball and talking to a half dozen
inmates and employees about the NCAA tournament and the past
season. Jamison sat on a table on the other side of the room
surrounded by individuals seeking the autograph of the
team’s star; while Ed Cota, Brendan Haywood and Carter
gathered on the far side of the gym fielding questions and
signing handkerchiefs, dollar bills and newspapers.
Loud applause followed the team as they left the prison to
return to Chapel Hill. As the team bus was pulling out of the
parking lot, a DOC employee rushed up to the bus holding a pen
and paper asking for an autograph. The bus stopped, the door
opened and the employee went inside. Minutes later, he emerged
from the bus with his autograph and a big smile. u
NC DOC Correction News- April 1998
NC Department of Correction News
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