CHRIS CODUTO/Arizona Daily Wildcat Former Arizona guard Khalid Reeves drives to the basket during the Lute Olson All Star Classic yesterday at McKale Center. Reeves played for Arizona from 1990 to 1994, and spent the next six seasons in the NBA.

Former Cats put on show to raise dough

During his pregame introduction at yesterday's Lute Olson All-Star Classic, former Wildcat Jason Terry jumped on the scorer's table. To a chorus of cheers, he was mimicking what he did after Arizona's 1997 win over Kansas in the Sweet 16. He continued to wow the crowd by scoring 38 points in the game.

Terry and the Blue team lost to the White team though, 125-123, in the classic, part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Arizona basketball. Khalid Reeves led the way for the White team with 25 points, including 13 of his team's final 22.

After upsetting the No. 1 Jayhawks en route to UA's first national championship in 1997, Terry, along with several teammates, jumped on the scoring table following the game.

Yesterday, Terry also had two steals before an announced crowd of 11,424.

"I loved it, every minute of it. It is cool because I didn't get to play with those guys," Terry said. "Loved that, to get the opportunity to do that and loved doing it."

Terry's running mate, new Washington Wizard Gilbert Arenas, had 12 points and 12 assists for the Blue.

"You gotta take charge. Who's the top ÎCat? I don't know," Terry said. "It is about bragging rights, you get to play with a lot of those guys during the season and to be out there with them, it was a lot (more fun) than any game."

Pete Williams, who played on Olson's first UA team, had 15 points and 14 boards, and Eugene Edgerson, known more for defense in his UA days, had 21 points, shooting 10-16 from the field, for the

Blue team.

"They got me for life, I'm a Wildcat for life," said Terry about returning for a similar game in the future. "I'll be back in Tucson. Like I said, it's my first home."

For the White team, Jud Buechler scored 21 points, all in the first half, and Dylan Rigdon had 19 points 8 assists, while Sean Elliott dropped in 16. Elliott's ESPN broadcasting teammate, Tom Tolbert, added 15.

The most recent former Wildcats, Rick Anderson and current Los Angeles Laker Luke Walton, also shined. Walton had 16 points and 5 assists for the Blue, while Anderson scored 17 for the White.

"It was a great weekend, highly successful, we raised a lot of money for some great causes," said Kerr. "I thought today was fun, the crowd was into it."

The event raised $50,000 for Ovarian Cancer research, a cause important to Olson. His wife, Bobbi, died in 2001 after a two-and-half-year battle with the disease.

The White team was older in average age, with players like Kerr, Sean Rooks, Elliott and Reeves, while the Blue team had younger players like Terry, Arenas, Edgerson and Walton.

For much of the first half the game stayed close, but a barrage of three pointers by Anderson, Buchler and Rigdon in the last five minutes gave the White a 56-45 halftime lead.

Olson was pleased with the weekend, which also included a roast of him, a golf tournament and a meeting of the players and their families at Olson's house on Saturday night.

"It went great. These guys had a great time and we all had a lot of fun," he said.

Though it was a regulation professional game with 12-minute quarters and NBA referees, there was a little bit of added fun. With two minutes to go, the score was adjusted to 122-117, giving the Blue 12 free points. After the game, Kerr noted that Olson wouldn't normally tell the team to play more lax defense so the Blue could catch up.

After Tolbert shot an air ball while being guarded by Arenas, Arenas motioned to the crowd to chant "Air Ball" louder, and followed it up by a dunk. Kerr sat down in a courtside seat during the game after missing a three pointer.

Kerr also joked that his performance ÷ 5 points and 5 assists ÷ quieted any doubt about his retirement. This summer, Kerr left the NBA to be an analyst for TNT after winning a ring with the San Antonio Spurs.

"Any doubts pretty much vanished," he said.