Francis Marion's Gilmore Jr. to participate in slam dunk contest
PHOENIX, Ariz. – Francis Marion University senior forward Marlow Gilmore Jr. will participate in the King's Hawaiian Slam Dunk Championship at the 35th-annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & Three-Point Championships on Thursday, April 4 at the NCAA Division I Final Four in Phoenix, Ariz.
The competition will be telecast live on ESPN at 9 p.m. (ET), and will be held in Grand Canyon University's Global Credit Union Arena.
Gilmore Jr. will compete against a field of seven other competitors.
The high-flying 6-6 native of Norway, S.C., averaged 13.1 points and 6.0 rebounds for the Patriots this past season. He led Conference Carolinas in field goal percentage at 65.9 percent and ranked sixth in blocked shots (29 in 28 games).
He helped Francis Marion to a 15-13 overall record, a 12-6 conference mark, and the fourth seed in the conference tournament.
Gilmore Jr. is majoring in criminal justice and is a product of Hunter-Kinard-Tyler High School.
The State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships invites 24 of the nation's elite men's and women's college basketball players to compete for slam dunk and 3-point shooting bragging rights. In addition to the King's Hawaiian Slam Dunk Championship, the night features the Hanes Men's 3-Point Championship, the Hanes Women's 3-Point Shooting Championship and the Dave's Hot Chicken Hot Shot Challenge. The winners of the Hanes Men's and Women's 3-Point Championships will then compete in the Skechers Battle of the Champions.
Since the event's inception, several of the top players in college basketball have competed in the State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships before moving on to the professional ranks, including Gary Payton, Steve Nash, Jason Terry, Kyle Korver, Bobby Hurley, Michael Finley, Allan Houston, Wesley Matthews, Denzel Valentine, Yogi Ferrell, Cappie Pondexter, Katie Gearlds, Kristi Toliver, Odyssey Sims, Tiffany Hayes, Tiffany Mitchell, Ariel Atkins and Rhyne Howard.