FORMER FIGHTING TIGER MEN’S HOOPSTER KEVIN PHILLIPS MAKING SPLASH IN HOLLYWOOD
During his playing career with the SUNY Cobleskill men’s basketball team Kevin L. Phillips made quite a splash using his impressive physical strength to star on the court as a First Team All-Mountain Valley Conference and First Team All-NJCAA Region III point guard from 1999-2001. Today the former Fighting Tiger star has traded the hardwood for the silver screen staring in a major supporting role opposite the likes of Academy Award Nominee Terrance Howard and nationally acclaimed funnyman Bernie Mac in the upcoming Lionsgate Films’ movie “Pride” set for national release on Friday March 23rd. Later this year Phillips will be featured in his first lead role in the New York independent film “Rock the Paint” staring opposite Douglas Smith of the HBO series “Big Love”. The film was originally screened at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival.
“Pride” is inspired by the true 1973 story of Jim Ellis, played by Terrence Howard, a college-educated African-American, who couldn’t find a job. Driven by his love of competitive swimming, Ellis converted an abandoned recreational swimming pool in a Philadelphia slum with the help of Elston, played by Bernie Mac, a local janitor. But when city officials marked the new Philadelphia Department of Recreation for demolition, Ellis fought back--by starting the city’s first African-American swim team. Recruiting troubled teens from the streets, he transformed a group of novices into capable swimmers against tremendous odds. The up-lifting story is centered on his efforts to convince his swimmers that victory in and out of the pool was within their reach in spite of racism, violence and unsympathetic city officials. Phillips plays the role of Andre one of the team’s members.
“Rock the Paint” is a racially charged coming of age story which begins when teenager cager Josh Sendler, played by Douglas Smith, moves from the cornfields of Indiana to the mean streets of Newark, New Jersey. He befriends basketball prodigy Antwon Jackson, played by Phillips, and together the new friends make a run for the state championship. Their friendship is tested along the way and ultimately must prove itself in the face of diversity issues.
After appearing in plays at the Creative Theater in Manhattan, Phillips went on to guest role on the Comedy Central hit “The Chappelle Show” then appeared in a guest starring role in an episode of the NBC hit series “Law & Order Criminal Intent” in a 2004 episode entitled “Mad Hops” in 2004. He made his feature film debut in a supporting role the Lion’s Gate feature film “The Cookout” in 2004 opposite Queen Latifah followed by a supporting role in the 2005 film “American Gun” opposite Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker.
As Phillips continues to build his resume his former college coach at SUNY Cobleskill Kevin McCarthy marvels at his former team captain’s success.
“It is extremely fitting that Kevin’s breakout role is in a movie called “Pride” because on the court he took great pride in our success and his role in our success,” said the Fighting Tiger mentor. “I have to be honest with you; while it surprised me that Kevin is an actor, it doesn’t surprise me that he is starting to become successful at it. He is the type of person that throws himself 100% into whatever task that he is involved in and he settles for nothing less than perfection. In his two seasons with our program we went 44-17 and he was a driving force behind that success. I’ve coached many young players who wanted to be like Michael Jordan but now Kevin is attempting to be like Denzel Washington and I have no doubts that he will be extremely successful in his career.”
A Staten Island, NY native, Phillips came to the Fighting Tigers via Berkley High School in South Carolina where he spent his prep year staring in basketball, football and baseball while living with his mother. Returning to New York he joined the Orange & Black becoming known as a point guard with a linebacker’s mentality. His impressive physical strength, lighting speed and great leaping ability earned him Mountain Valley Conference Player-of-the-Year for the 2000-01 season along with being selected as a First Team All-Region III Division III and First Team All-Mountain Valley Conference selection for the season. As a freshman in 1999-2000, Phillips was named to the NJCAA Region III Division III All-Tournament Team.
During his Cobleskill career he scored 758 points, 12.6 per game, while connecting on an impressive 281 of 556 career shots for a 50.5% field goal average. He also grabbed 161 rebounds, 2.7 per game, made 80 steals, 1.3 per game, passed out 282 assists, 4.7 per game, and shot 79.6% from the free throw line making 176 of 221 chances. Set a program record for single season free throw percentage during 1999-2000 connecting on 69 of 84 attempts for an 82.1% average.
For more information on the film “Pride” the film’s website can be accessed at http://www.pridefilm.com/site.php while fans get more information on “Rock the Paint” via the movie’s website at http://www.rockthepaintthemovie.com/main.htm and http://www.impawards.com/2007/pride_ver3.html
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Former Hoopster
Kevin Phillips
Go to the movie website
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Listen to Actor Kevin Phillips On-Air with Dan Murphy
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