Courtesy of Alex Lehmbeck, Asst. SID, Norfolk State University
NORFOLK, Va. – Norfolk State men’s basketball will have not one, but two representatives at a prestigious showcase event this month.
Just days after his teammate Joe Bryant Jr. received the nod, Norfolk State senior Kris Bankston has earned a spot in the upcoming Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT), the event revealed on Tuesday afternoon.
“Kris Bankston is the prototype of today’s NBA big, I’m so excited that he got into the PIT,” Norfolk State head coach Robert Jones said. “To have two HBCU players and two from the same team is unprecedented! It shows the national respect that Spartan basketball is starting to receive. Behold!”
THE PIT has developed a distinguished reputation as one of the nation’s top showcase events, welcoming legendary players in past years such as Earl “The Pearl” Monroe, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman.
In order to be selected to the PIT by the Player Selection Committee, “players must be seniors in good academic and athletic department standing.”
Bankston has excelled both on the court and in the classroom, earning All-MEAC First Team and All-Defensive Team honors for the 2022-23 season. He was named to the Norfolk State Athletics All-Academic Team in 2022.
Featuring eight teams of eight plays, 12 games will take place over four days from Apr. 12-15 at Churchland High School. Tickets can be purchased in advance here.
