The college basketball season came to an end last Monday night, but for many ACC seniors, their collegiate basketball careers aren’t quite over yet. The Barnstorming Tour, a tradition where ACC seniors face local all-star teams in a high school gym, kicked off their tour in Tarboro on Thursday night. Familiar faces like UNC’s Marcus Paige, Brice Johnson, and Joel James as well as Wake Forest’s Codi Miller-McIntyre and Devin Thomas squared off against the Edgecombe county all-star team with players from Tarboro High, South West Edgecombe, and North Edgecombe High.

The game was played at Tarboro High with a nearly sold out crowd to watch some of the ACC’s best. Coached by Rocky Mount native Phil Ford, The ACC All-stars were putting on a show. Dunks and 3-pointers were flying from both teams as the players joked around with fans and referees. All fans were impressed by the player’s patience and fun-loving attitudes as they joked around with the Edgecombe All-stars as they beat them by nearly 50 points. The ACC seniors were always quick to congratulate and encourage opposing players on a good shot and an occasional dunk.

Fresh off their NCAA Championship appearance, the UNC seniors got a big welcome and lots of recognition from local news stations and newspapers that had come from all over to see them play. Many fans, including RMA’s Trey Smelcer, Rob Turnage, and Jarrett Snipes were able to eat with the players after the game as well as take a few pictures. Rob Turnage jokes, “The guys were really cool and funny with all of the fans that were excited to see them. I never thought I would get to see these guys in person so soon after their NCAA tournament run, let alone in Tarboro High’s gym”. The Barnstorming Tour will make its way all over North Carolina for the next few weeks, but it got its start at a local high school year with a warm welcome.