NM hoops All-Stars venturing to Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The roster reads like a who's who of New Mexico basketball, with names like Daniel Faris, Darren Prentice and Tim Crowell.

The roster is that of the New Mexico All-Stars who will take on the Mexico National Team Thursday at noon in Cíudad Juarez, Mexico. It's being billed as "Balling OnThe Border 2."

Mexico won last summer when these teams met with former Arkansas coach Nolan Richardson guiding them.

"I picked the best, and we're going in there not just to represent New Mexico but the United States," New Mexico All-Stars coach Kelvin Scarborough said.

Playing this game serves another purpose besides facing some international competition.

"The D-league coaches get a chance to see these players," Scarborough said. "Last year we had four guys off the team sign internationally."

Prentice, a former Lobo, would like to play overseas. A good showing in this game could be his ticket.

"You get to play some international flavor," Prentice said. "They've got some players on there.

'"Rumel Beck, I played against; he played for UNLV, so they've got some great players."

Playing on this team is a great honor for Crowell, a former Sandia High and University of Cincinnati player.

"They're a great group of guys," Crowell said. "(They) can jump out of the building, shoot from anywhere on the court. And just being part of it is a great feeling."

The site of the game, Juarez, is a city where they have been concerns over street violence. But Scarborough believes he has those in check by having curfews for his players while in Mexico.

"I go into some of the roughest neighborhoods in the United States, but we're doing a great thing in Juarez," Scarborough said. "So I'm not afraid to go in there, as long as we're doing God's work."