Friends' bond shapes basketball legacy

April tournament honors memory of Charles Smith

By JACK IRELAND, Staff reporter

Mark Sills remembers the days when, as kids, he and the late Charles Smith would 
play basketball almost every day at Bancroft Park in Wilmington.

Sills said he knew then that Smith was headed for stardom on the basketball court.

Smith didn't let his good friend down, earning first-team All-State honors at 
Concord High in 1980 and 1981 and becoming the 1981 state player of the year. 
He went on to star at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Va., for four years, 
earning a degree in 1985 in management information systems.

Smith died in 1998 at age 35 of complications from diabetes.

To honor his friend, Sills started the Charles Smith Memorial Basketball Classic 
for boys and girls in 2000.

The fifth annual tournament will be held Saturday and Sunday at the Wilmington 
Police Athletic League Center on North Market Street and at Mount Pleasant High.

The tournament is divided into age groups for boys' and girls' teams age 12 and 
younger through age 19 and younger. Each team is guaranteed three games in pool play.

The tournament is sponsored by Urban Youth Inc., a nonprofit organization operated 
by Sills. His eventual goal is to offer college scholarship money from tournament 
proceeds for deserving young people.

"Charlie and I lived on the same block growing up," Sills said. "We played basketball 
together all the time at the park across the street. I knew back then he was going to 
be quite a player. The best thing of all is that he was such a good person."

Sills said he was excited to learn recently that Smith will be one of five former 
athletes inducted this month into the Old Dominion Sports Hall of Fame.

Sills plans to join Smith's family at the banquet ceremonies April 27 at the Ted 
Constant Convocation Center at Old Dominion.

"Charlie proved to be one of the greatest [basketball players] here in Delaware," 
Sills said. "Charlie had size at 6-foot-3 and a complete game. He could play point 
guard or shooting guard. He played great defense and made his team better. He passed 
the ball and wasn't a selfish player.

"Even more important, he was such a great person. He was very loyal and dependable. 
I could always count on him as a friend. He meant a lot to me."

Smith had a brilliant career at Concord. He received All-American honors in 1981 
from the Converse basketball shoe company. In his three years at Concord, he scored 
1,060 points. The Raiders had a 60-6 overall record in that span and won the 1979 
state title. Smith averaged 26 points a game as a senior.

His four-year achievements at Old Dominion also were impressive. He scored 1,250 
points (13.3 per game) and helped ODU earn two NCAA Tournament and two National 
Invitation Tournament berths. He played on three teams that reached the championship 
game of the Sun Belt Conference. Smith was chosen all-conference in 1983 and 1984.

In the semifinals of the 1985 Sun Belt Tournament, Smith sparked a comeback from 20 
points down against Alabama-Birmingham and hit the game-winning free throws. He ranks 
11th all-time in assists at ODU, leading the team in that category (148) in 1984. He 
was chosen a freshman All-American in 1982.

Two of Smith's teammates at ODU went on to play in the NBA - Mark West, now assistant 
general manager of the Phoenix Suns, and Kenny Gattison.

Even though Smith went to Concord and Sills graduated from Glasgow, the two remained 
close friends.

"We did play basketball against each other in high school. Charlie sort of had the 
better of that," Sills said with a smile.

Sills said he hopes to expand his organization in the future to offer tutoring and 
computer skills training four days a week after school hours to children who live in 
Wilmington. Sills' group operates several youth basketball tournaments in Wilmington 
and Kent County.

"I have to apply for grant money to make that happen, and I will pursue it," Sills 
said.

The mission statement of his organization reads: "To provide recreational and 
educational activities for youth to help build self-esteem, provide a safe, 
structured environment and to provide activity for our youth to keep them off the 
streets."

Sills said Smith's influence helped him formulate that approach.

Reach Jack Ireland at 324-2808 or jireland @ delawareonline . com.

Photo Caption:

The News Journal/ROBERT CRAIG

Mark Sills shows a portrait of Charles Smith, in whose memory Sills is coordinating 
a basketball tournament for boys and girls.