Friday, December 17, 2004

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Dec. 17, 2004) - The East Tennessee State University men's basketball team took time out from its 2004-05 competitive schedule to visit the Children's Hospital at Johnson City Medical Center on Friday.

Appropriately, the Buccaneers were offering gifts during this holiday season, as head coach Murry Bartow presented a check for $1,000 to the Children's Hospital on behalf of the team. The Bucs raised the money through proceeds from ticket sales to the Blue-Gold Scrimmage held earlier this year.

"Our players understand the importance of spending time with the children here, but this was a way we could help financially as well," said Bartow, whose team makes monthly visits to the Children's Hospital throughout the year. "We think part of our job as coaches is to not only help our players become better on the court, but better people away from the court also. This is part of that development."

Despite a tough non-conference opponent in Old Dominion looming on Saturday, the Bucs visited the hospital early Friday morning. The team planned to practice later in the day and then leave Memorial Center headed for Norfolk, Va., at around noon.