By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Former Williams boys’ basketball player Colby Elliott likes how the offseason has been going in terms of improving his game.
He’ll have a chance to showcase some of that next week in the North Carolina East-West All-Star Game.
“The offseason is looking great, getting bigger and faster,” Elliott said. “I’m very excited to get back on the floor.”
Elliott, a guard, will play for the West team on Monday night at the Novant Health Field House, which is located at the coliseum complex in Greensboro.
Elliott has played some during the offseason on the Amateur Athletic Union circuit with South Carolina-based Big Shots, but has mostly been in workouts.
A game in July is a nice perk before playing for Catawba Valley Community College.
“It wasn’t on my radar, but it shows the work I put in,” he said.
Elliott played his junior and senior seasons for Williams after transferring from Meadowbrook in North Chesterfield, Virginia. As a senior, he also played a receiver for the Williams football team.
Since the Bulldogs’ season ended, he said he has concentrated on becoming more consistent with mid-range pull-up jumpers and also has improved his long-range shooting.
Elliott said he doesn’t know many of the other East-West players well, though he’s interested in teaming up with former Reidsville guard Dionte Neal. Neal, who has joined UNC Greensboro’s program, was the Male Athlete of the Year in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.
Elliott, 18, said he’ll go to Catawba Valley Community College for a workout and meet some more people at the end of the month before moving in next month. Among his teammates there will be former Eastern Alamance guard Javier Tinnin.
West coaches are Joseph Spinks of Eastern Guilford and Lavar Batts of Robinson. East coaches are Northwood’s Matt Brown and Southern Durham’s Greg Motley, formerly of Orange.
The boys’ game follows the 6:30 p.m. girls’ game. That will include guard Shaniya Paylor out of Southeast Alamance on the West team.
