Jaquell Bonner from Wheatley High School and Jibril Rose from Kashmere High School will be competing all year in 50 Cent’s G-Unity Business Lab program, but before then, the two will square off on the football field, as Wheatley will host Kashmere at 6 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 16, for its 2021 homecoming game.

The G-Unity Business Lab is an after-school program, which uses HISD teachers and local business leaders to mentor students in business education and entrepreneurship, that will culminate with a “Shark Tank” style finale called “Hustle Tank” at the end of the school year.

Classes have just begun for the G-Unity Business Lab, and the students have a way to go before developing their potential businesses. This Saturday, though, a different competition begins for Bonner and Rose. Wheatley is 3-3 this season, and Kashmere (2-4) is coming off a big 28-21 win over Booker T. Washington High School. Both players understand the expectations of a big game, but Bonner is confident the Wildcats will win.

“The past three years, homecoming has been the biggest game,” Bonner said. “They call it the ‘Lockwood Classic,’ and I know there’s a lot of history about it. It is going to be a big game for me and my teammates, but I’m not too worried. We got a young team, but we have more seniors, so yeah, I’m ready!”

The competitive nature of the athletes translates into other parts of their life—in this case the G-Unity competition. For Rose, he uses the gridiron-grind approach mentally, too.

“I use football in my head with G-Unity,” Rose said. “I’m always wanting to win, and outwork somebody, work hard, and be the best at all times.”