Brantley, Luverne alumni game to become annual event

Published 5:57 pm Thursday, August 25, 2022

The Brantley and Luverne rivalry has, at times, led to division within the county. Two local coaches have joined forces to make the rivalry a little more friendly and show the community that it is all in good fun.

Brantley basketball coach Andre Parks and Luverne basketball coach Richard Dorsey observed how the county could feel divided at times and wanted to do something to bring the community together.

The two coaches decided to play an alumni basketball game before the Luverne and Brantley match-up to show coming together is way more fun than arguing.

Email newsletter signup

“We played the first alumni game Thursday night,” Parks said. “Each school has professional basketball players, Donte Hall from Luverne and Wesley Person, Jr. from Brantley. We made them captains of each team. Everyone had a good time. It was a lot of fun and a lot of laughs.”

Donte Hall is a Luverne graduate who played college basketball at the University of Alabama. He went on to play for the Detroit Pistons, Brooklyn Nets, NBA G League Ignite, Orlando Magic, and the French basketball club AS Monaco Basket.

Wesley Person, Jr. is a Brantley and Troy University graduate. After playing basketball at Troy, Person signed a one-year contract with Roseto Sharks and went on to play for the Maine Red Claws, Egis Kormend, and currently, the Newcastle Eagles.

Parks and Dorsey agreed to split the proceeds between the Brantley and Luverne basketball programs, benefitting the kids in the communities.

The annual event will be scheduled the night before the Brantley/Luverne football game, unless the game is scheduled for a Thursday, then the alumni game will be held the Tuesday before.