When the Ball Goes Flat

When the Ball Goes Flat

Thursday, April 27, 2017 | 6:00 PM
Learning Resources Center 

Cornel Merricks was born in Philadelphia, PA and attended the Philadelphia Public School system graduating in 2000. During Merricks high school years, he earned two varsity letters from Simon Gratz and Norristown Area High School. Merricks later attended Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology from 2000 - 2002. At Thaddeus Stevens College, Merricks excelled in both academics and basketball. A two year varsity player, Merricks led Thaddeus Stevens college to the Conference Finals in 2002 finishing his Thaddeus Stevens career with 1,175 points.

Merricks graduated Thaddeus Stevens College with a degree in Graphics Communications & Printing Technology and earned All-State, All Conference, and All Tournament. Merricks continued his basketball career at Alvernia University for two years, winning a conference title in his first year and runner up in his second and final year. Merricks finished Alvernia making All Conference and scoring 678 points in two years. 

Merricks played at the pro level with stints in the United Kingdom, touring with the Washington Generals on the Harlem Globetrotters tour going to over 8 different countries and 17 states. Merricks retired from basketball in 2012. 

Post basketball, Merricks founded Building Beyond Basketball, a youth program that targets males ages 7-17. The program is designed to help Student Athletes prepare for life and the challenges they may face. Building Beyond Basketball runs basketball camps, life skill sessions, mentoring and a travel basketball team that competes on the AAU circuit. Beuilding Beyond Basketball has done camps in the Tri-State Area and most recently traveled to QwaQwa, South Africa in August 2016 to do a basketball clinic.