March 31, 2006
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – – Iowa’s Greg Brunner helped a team of senior all-stars score an 87-83 win over the Harlem Globetrotters here Friday evening in the seventh annual NABC all-star game.
Sponsored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches as part of Final Four activities, the contest drew a crowd of 10,921 on the eve of the national semi-finals.
Brunner, an Iowa senior from Charles City, earned a starting spot in the contest and contributed four points, one rebound and two steals while playing 15 minutes.
The college all-star team trailed by as many as 12 points in the game as the Globetrotters held a 44-33 haltime advantage. The all-stars rallied in the second half, leading by as many as 11 points before holding off a late Globetrotter rally. The Globetrotters closed to within one point in the final 30 seconds before the all-stars clinched the win at the free throw line.
“It always feels great to win,” said Brunner, following the contest. “I came over here with the attitude of having fun with great senior players from around the country. It was a great experience and feels very good to get a win in my last game as a college player and be a part of the activities at the Final Four.”
With the victory, Brunner concluded a solid career at Conseco Fieldhouse. Brunner was named to the all-tournament team as he and his Iowa teammates won the 2006 Big Ten Conference Tournament. As a sophomore, Brunner scored 26 points in helping Iowa defeat Louisville in overtime as part of the John Wooden Tradition early in the 2003-04 season.
Former Marquette player Steve Novak led the all-stars with 15 points, while former Hoosier Marco Killingsworth scored 12 and Cameron Bennerman from North Carolina State scored 11. Washington’s Bobby Jones, with eight points and nine rebounds, was named the college MVP.