Former Pottsville Area High School standouts Nick Schlitzer and Shavinskin Thomas would welcome the opportunity to play basketball at the professional level.
Both will get the chance to showcase their skills this weekend.
Schlitzer, who recently graduated from Philadelphia University, and Thomas are among the 50 male players expected to take part in an iBall Pro Combine on Saturday and Sunday at Pottstown High School’s Strom Gymnasium.
The combine is sponsored by iBall United and features
male and female players looking to get exposure in front of pro scouts, general managers and coaches, mostly from international teams.
The two-day combine features speed and agility tests, skills assessments and qualifying games Saturday, and a double-elimination team tournament Sunday. The combine is open to the public and begins at 9 a.m. each day. The admission is $15 for families, $10 for adults and $5 for students.
Most of the players taking part in the combine are either former or current Division II and III players. Some also have international professional or United States semi-pro experience.
iBall United was founded by Howard Brown in 2012. According to its website, Brown, who played professional basketball for 13 years, founded iBall United to give athletes an easier path to having successful playing careers.
James Brant, a Pottsville resident, is a player development scout for iBall United. Brown and Brant both contacted Schlitzer and Thomas to get them involved in the combine.
“It is all about getting exposure and getting your name out,” Brant said.
As part of their involvement with iBall United, Schlitzer and Thomas each have an online biography, while Schlitzer has videos to go along with his bio.
Schlitzer, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, graduated from Pottsville in 2011 as the Crimson Tide’s all-time leading scorer with 1,884 points. He then went on to Philadelphia University and averaged 17.7 points per game in his four years for the Rams. Schlitzer finished his college career with 1,707 career points.
“I am trying to get my feet wet and get involved in the combine thing,” Schlitzer said of this weekend’s combine.
Schlitzer is currently working toward his MBA in marketing at Philadelphia University. He is in the process of finding an agent and also plans on taking part in an Oversees Basketball Combine run by Hart Sports Management on July 10-12 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Thomas, a 6-7 small and power forward, graduated from Pottsville in 2012 and averaged 5.7 points per game his junior and senior years for the Crimson Tide. Thomas averaged 8.8 per game his senior season.
He attended Bloomsburg University for a year. Thomas most recently played for the semi-pro Schuylkill County Firedogs.