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Sumner Sports Presents: The Iron Five Tour

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Officials from the ACC Barnstorming Tour , in association with Sumner Sports , are proud to present the Iron Five Tour . Beginning in April, 2022, the Tour is a four-stop event where 200 fans are treated to a Q & A and autograph session with members of the UNC Chapel Hill Tarheels 2021-2022 men's basketball team: Caleb, RJ, Leaky, Brady, Armando, Puff and Dontrez. All-American and fan favorite Phil Ford will be hosting each stop of the Tour.

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Phil Ford answers questions during Thursday’s press conference at ACHS.

Allen, Berry, Pinson among senior stars scheduled to appear

On Thursday, March 8, ACC legend Phil Ford and Pet Sumner of the Sumner Group held a press conference at Alexander Central High School to announce details about the ACC Barnstorming Tour, which is coming to Taylorsville on Thursday, April 12, at 7:30 pm.

During the conference, the tentative roster for the 2018 ACC team was announced. The list includes Grayson Allen of Duke University and Joel Berry, II, and Theo Pinson of North Carolina.

Allen was a member of the 2015 Duke University National Championship Team as a freshman. This year, Allen was a third-team All-ACC honoree.

Duke’s Grayson Allen and UNC’s Joel Berry, II, highlight this year’s ACC Barnstorming Tour, which stops in Alexander County April 12.

Berry and Pinson have been leaders for North Carolina since arriving on campus in 2014. The duo played key roles in last season’s NCAA Championship for the Tarheels. Berry, who was named the MVP of the Final Four last April, is a first team All-ACC performer this year, while Pinson earned Honorable Mention honors.

In addition, Abdul-Malik Abu, Lennard Freeman, and Al Freeman of NC State, and Aaron Rohlman of UNC will be part of the game in April. Seniors from Wake Forest are slated to fill out the ACC roster, which will be coached by Phil Ford.

General Admission tickets for the game are only $12 presale and $15 at the door. VIP tickets are sold out. Tickets are available online at www.carolinabarnstorming.com or at local ticket outlets. Locally general admission tickets can be purchased at Alexander Central High School, West Alexander Middle School, East Alexander Middle School, PJ’s Seafood & Steak in Bethlehem, and The Taylorsville Times office in downtown Taylorsville.

Doors will open at 6:00 pm and the game will tip off at 7:30 pm.

The ACC Stars will be facing off against a local all-star team made up of seniors from the NW 3A/4A Conference. The NWC team includes players from Alexander Central, Hickory High School, South Caldwell, West Caldwell, and St. Stephens. The area team will be coached by ACHS Coach Ed Wills. He will be assisted by St. Stephens Coach Murphy Post and ACHS Assistant Coach Cam Gant.

For the past 39 years, The Sumner Group has sponsored and coordinated the ACC Barnstorming Tour.

Phil Ford is pictured with Nathan Davis of Farm Bureau Insurance during the March 8 press conference at ACHS. Farm Bureau is the Corporate Sponsor for the April 12 ACC Barnstorming Game in Taylorsville.

This marks the 40th year, the Tour has provided a rare up-close-and-personal look at such standout players as Michael Jordan, Len Bias, Dereck Whittenburg, Tyler Hansbrough, Nolan Smith, and Tyler Zeller to fans of all ages across the southeastern United States.

ACC Legend Phil Ford, center, is pictured with ACHS Principal Doug Rhoney, right, and Men’s Basketball Coach Ed Wills during a press conference announcing the ACC Barnstorming Tour. The game will be play April 12.

This season promises to be another exciting year in Barnstorming history. In addition to the basketball games, each stop will also consist of a 3-point contest and a dunk contest. Players will be available following the game for a limited autograph session with general admission ticketholders. VIP ticketholders will enjoy reserved front row seating to the game, a post game reception with the ACC All-Stars, and a photo/autograph session.

A portion of the proceeds from each game will be donated to the Ronald McDonald House. Additional proceeds will also benefit the Alexander Central High School Cougar Club. *Follow us on Facebook at ACC Barnstorming Tour and on Twitter @ACCBarnstorming.

Farm Bureau Insurance in Taylorsville is the Corporate Sponsor for this year’s ACC event in Alexander County.

Psychological Solutions of Lake Norman and Solutions of Hickory are serving as the Associate Sponsors for the ACHS event.

NWC ALL-STARS

ALEXANDER CENTRAL

Jackson Barr

Kendall Flowers

Blan Hodges

Adam Mahaffey

HICKORY HIGH

Torey James

Jaquan Thurman

Jackson Bell

ST.STEPHENS

Hunter Pyatte

Ezequiel Figueroa De Valle

SOUTH CALDWELL

Trey Seagle

Kaden Anderson

WEST CALDWELL

Elijah Brooks

Had a outstanding time at the ACC Brainstorming Tour..My 86 year old sister got the answer to the one dream she had ask for…..just to meet in person GRAYSON ALLEN. That dream came true…Thanks to everyone with the program that made this possible…

After run to Final Four, UNC's 'Iron Five' revels in success at ACC Barnstorming Tour stop

LOWELL — For some, it was the powder blue that made them fall in love. In Aljhun Escueta’s case, his reverence for University of North Carolina men’s basketball came as a result of something much grittier.

“When I arrived in the states (from his native Philippines) in 2005, North Carolina won a national championship with Sean May leading the way,” he said. "I remember the doubt that people had in them then, and it really made me love the team. I’ve been a Tar Heel fan ever since.”

The 2021-22 Tar Heel squad holds a similar place in his heart, reveling in a memorable season that ended a game short of a national title. “For me, it was the way this team never gave up. All the challenges against them, them being labeled just a ‘bubble team’ to getting that close to a national championship. I’m just proud of them and happy to be a Tar Heel,” Escueta said.

Such reverence brought the Richlands man to Lowell on Wednesday, traveling four hours for the opportunity to meet North Carolina basketball’s “Iron Five” starters. A group consisting of Armando Bacot, “Leaky” Black, R.J. Davis, Caleb Love and Brady Manek were joined by teammates Puff Johnson and Dontrez Styles at Gaston Christian in the first leg of the 2022 ACC Barnstorming Tour.

The event was hosted by North Carolina basketball legend Phil Ford and the locally-based Sumner Group.

For four decades, barnstorming tours have roamed the state. Previously, the event featured Duke, NC State, North Carolina and Wake Forest standouts whose eligibility had run its course in a friendly basketball game often including high school athletes. In the two years since its last events, the ACC Barnstorming Tour was revamped in an effort to best allow athletes to be compensated for appearances based on new name, image and likeness (NIL) rules.

Instead of a friendly hoops contest, the “Iron Five” spent their time in Gaston County taking pictures, autographing countless items and answering questions posed by those in attendance.

One question delved deep into matters, asking the Tar Heel standouts to declare their intentions for the 2022-23 season.

Outside of Manek, who is out of eligibility after four years at Oklahoma and another with North Carolina, the only one who chose to do so was Bacot. Hours before heading for Lowell, the 6-10 big man announced his plan to return to Chapel Hill for his senior season, much to the delight of those in the Gaston Christian gymnasium.

“To be honest, I wasn’t ready to leave … I wasn’t ready to go. Plus, we got so close this year and I really want a national championship,” Bacot said when asked by a child in attendance.

Though less committal than his teammate, Black left the door open for a return. After a fan expressed his gratitude to Black for a great career but would rather wait to do so, the UNC senior and former Cox Mill standout replied: “Yeah, it’s probably best to wait until next season before we do that.”

North Carolina’s defensive stopper, Black said he could be nearing a decision in the coming days.

Caleb Love was frequently asked about his status as well, the sharpshooter mulling between whether to remain in Chapel Hill for another year or take his talents to the NBA. The St. Louis native kept his cards close to his chest, though, not shedding too much light on which direction he is leaning.

Love did take time to discuss a certain shot that will live on in North Carolina lore for decades to come, however.

“I didn’t get silly questions, but the main one I got was which win did I love the most: the one at Cameron or the win over Duke in the Final Four? And of course, I said the Final Four,” he said. “It is great to know 20, 30, 40 years from now I will be able to look back at that and say ‘I did that.’ It will be great to see.”

After this past season, Ford said he came to a few conclusions of his own.

“It was said I’m the best UNC player ever. But I don’t feel I’m worthy of that title, much less being the best point guard up here,” Ford joked. “But for this team to stay together, pull together like you did — though you scared me a bit how late you did it — you guys have earned the right to be named among the best Carolina teams, even though you didn’t win it all.

“All the pieces fit just as they should.”

You can reach Joe Hughes at 704-914-8138, email [email protected] and follow on Twitter @JoeLHughesII.