Who:        Four basketball teams consisting of more than 50 inner-city
                  boys from the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church basketball
                  organization.  The boys range in age from 8 to 18 years.
    What:       Youths to compete in the second annual Mount Pleasant Baptist
                  Church slam dunk and three-point shooting contest.
    Where:      Shepard Recreation Center, 5700 Haverford Ave., Philadelphia,
                  Pa.
    When:       Wednesday, March 25 at 6 p.m.
    Details:
    Inner-city boys from 8 to 18 years of age to compete in the second annual
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church slam dunk and three-point shooting contest.
    All of the players are from West Philadelphia and receive educational,
physical, social and spiritual guidance through the Mount Pleasant Baptist
Church athletic program.  John Brown, director of athletics and minister of
the church, says the slam dunk and three-point shooting contest is a much
anticipated addition to the basketball season.
    The basketball program started in 1993 as an outreach effort designed to
keep young boys off the streets, to help with academics and to help instill
Christian values.  In January the organization established a partnership with
a drug prevention and drug intervention program as another way to reach out to
at-risk youths.
    Brown said he is proud of the boys' achievements and with the success of
the program.  Most recently the 12 and under team won the 1997/1998 Christian
Youth Basketball Association championship.
    Winners of the slam dunk and three-point shooting contests will receive
awards at a banquet on April 4.
    This year GMAC Mortgage donated $2,800 to the Mount Pleasant Baptist
Church basketball teams for league fees and uniforms.
    CONTACT:  John Brown of GMAC Mortgage, 215-682-1546, or home,
610-622-1807.

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