2014 Greater Flint
African American Sports Hall of Fame Inductee
Category: BASKETBALL
The Sam Ragnone Attorney men’s basketball team won many championships during their glory years. They won three National Championships, 1990-1992. They were Michigan Open Champions and they even beat U of M’s famed Fab 5 in a special exhibition game. But perhaps the team that started it all was the 1986 M.R.P.A. State Championship team bringing Flint a M.R.P.A. State Championship.
On January 31, 1986 the M.R.P.A. awarded the city of Flint its 1986 Basketball Tournament. The Flint Department of Parks and Recreation, recreation division was also named the host agency for the tournament. The three-day tournament resulted in Flint winning the top competition, the men’s class AA Championship. The Sam Ragnone Attorney team defeated Rochester (MI) North Stars by a score of 90-73 to claim the title.
Members of the Sam Ragnone team are: Joel Ragland, Charlie Bell, James Cooper, Lamarr (Spider) Edwards, Carl Sains, Kent Smith, Curtis Williams, Ernest Williams, Rickey Baskin and John Chapman.
For their talent and outstanding record the Sam Ragnone Attorney men’s basketball team is being inducted into the Greater Flint African American Sports Hall of Fame Class of 2014.
