Global Games mates are Tech bound, and all three know how to win

July 5, 2007

By ROSS TAYLOR / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS - Leave it to a coach with 890 career victories to bring three proven winners into his program.

Three of the crown jewels of Texas Tech coach Bob Knight's 2007 recruiting class are participating in the Global Games this week.

The Global Games' All-American team features point guard John Roberson of Plano, forward Mike Singletary of Humble Kingwood and forward D'walyn Roberts of Duncanville. All three come from winning programs, with each having won a Class 5A state title.

Former Plano standout John Roberson looks to pass during a practice on Wednesday. "Any time, no matter what team you're talking about, if you get guys that understand what winning is, it will always expedite the process of having a chance to be a winner," said All-American coach Bob Hoffman, a former assistant at Oklahoma.

Roberson said the talented trio is developing good chemistry.

"They're both real versatile, and it makes my job easy because I can find them, and they can knock down shots," Roberson said of his teammates.

Singletary, who won a state title with Kingwood in 2005, lost in the 2006 state title game to Roberson's Plano team. Kingwood lost in the 2007 title game to Roberts' Duncanville squad.

Despite that history, the three players enjoy hanging out when practice at the Global Games is over.

"Those are my buddies," Singletary said. They always rag on me that they got their rings, but I got mine my [sophomore] year, so I'm fine with it."

The three are among nine players on the 12-man All-American roster who have committed to play in the Big 12 this year.

For those players, participating in the Global Games is another step toward preparing for the Big 12. Last year, UT's Kevin Durant, who was the second pick in the NBA draft last week, benefited from playing in the Global Games.

"It's a lot of hard work, and it's a lot of physical play," Singletary said. "The Big 12 is probably one of the most physical conferences in the country, and you just have to be ready for that aspect by getting your body ready and your mind set."

The trio, all of whom are getting their first taste of international basketball, hopes the friendship and winning tradition carry over to Lubbock.

"We all have championship rings, and we all know what it takes to win games," Roberson said. "We're playing for the best coach in the college game today, arguably in history, and if we listen to what the coaches tell us, we'll step in and win."

The Global Games' All-American team scrimmages Senegal at 6 p.m. today and begins group play Friday.