Photo By NBA

By Zoria McClerklin

SALT LAKE CITY – For the second year in a row, the Maroon Tiger was in attendance for NBA All-Star Weekend. Morehouse students Christopher Doomes, William Clay III, Rece Allen, and Spelman’s Zoria McClerklin, were blessed to attend the thrilling weekend. Alongside students was Professor Ron Thomas, chair of Morehouse’s Journalism in Sports, Culture and Social Justice Department.  

Zoria McClerklin is a junior Education Studies major at Spelman. For the Maroon Tiger, Zoria serves as co-sports producer for the visual media side of the Maroon Tiger, TigerTV. For Zoria, it is everything basketball, especially South Carolina’s Lady Gamecocks from her home state. Whether WNBA, NBA, or NCAAW, she is all ears and eyes. 

“To be surrounded by so many athletes and journalists that I watched growing up is a dream come true,” McClerklin said. “I am so grateful for the opportunities I’ve gotten from my time with the Morehouse journalism program.” 

Rece Allen is a sophomore Journalism major with a sports focus. Rece is also a staff writer for the Maroon Tiger. A former high school athlete in Upper Marlboro, Maryland, Rece aspires to be involved in the sports world through different avenues. 

“It’s an honor to be here amongst so many basketball greats,” Allen said. “I appreciate Professor Thomas and the Morehouse journalism program for the great opportunity.” 

William Clay III is a senior English major at Morehouse. He has been a sports producer with TigerTV and the arts and entertainment editor. He mainly played baseball and basketball while growing up in St. Louis. Clay has always enjoyed watching sports and has decided to pursue a career in sports media.

“Being here in Salt Lake City is a blessing,” Clay said. “Seeing so many accomplished people and learning from them has been great. Extremely grateful for Professor Thomas and this phenomenal opportunity.”

Christopher Doomes is a senior Journalism major at Morehouse and the managing editor/visual journalist for the Maroon Tiger. Chris is also a photographer for his Instagram page “@chris.on.cam” and loves to capture memorable moments. 

“So excited to be here and experience the life of a sports journalist,” said Doomes, who was raised in the West End. “This an unbelievable opportunity that can help me perfect my craft and prepare me for future endeavors in journalism.” 

MT has been excited to cover all the weekend’s events, spanning from the Dunk Contest, the All-Star Game and the HBCU Classic between Grambling State University and Southern University. 

Chris, Zoria, Rece and Will have delivered All-Star Weekend’s best content to you, including articles, interviews and photos from this amazing experience!