[1/7/03]In an effort to draw more interest and attendance to the Red Carpet Basketball Classic, the committee on Monday finalized a plan to have one fan shoot a halfcourt shot for $10,000.

In between the Vicksburg boys game, scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. on Jan. 25, and the Warren Central girls game, scheduled to start at 4:15 p.m., a ticket number will be called and that person will get one shot from halfcourt.

A basket earns the contestant $10,000. A miss will result in a RCB T-shirt and four tickets to the Red Carpet Bowl in August.

“We wanted to do something a little different to spice up the game a little bit,” RCB chairman Charlie McKinnie said. “A lot of these bowl games do different kinds of contests and every time you see one, you say, man, I wish we could do this.'”

The RCB contracted with TSI Sports, a national company specializing in sports contests, for the event. A $600 insurance premium was paid by one of the RCB sponsors, Rogers Usry, for the contest.

Each paying person entering Warren Central’s gym will receive a ticket with a number. At the end of the Vicksburg boys game, the number will be drawn and the contestant will get to shoot. Several eligibility requirements will be in effect.

Tickets for the series of six games are $6 and will be available at the door on gameday.

St. Al tips the annual tournament at 10 a.m., followed by Vicksburg against Yazoo County and Warren Central against Neshoba Central.

Also, Briggs Hopson III finalized plans for the football classic by signing both Southaven and Gulfport to two-year contracts.

Southaven will play Vicksburg in the first game and Gulfport will meet WC in the nightcap. The games will be at WC.