1/9/2011 - Pretty In Pink Classic Great Success
The goose bumps started to pop up, and slowly, but surely, a slow lump was building up in my throat.
The scene playing out in front of me and the sellout crowd at High Point could have been a somber, maudlin one. But as the women worked their way out of the bleachers to midcourt, I realized this was a time of celebration and triumph and the rest of the crowd realized it as well as one-by-one everyone started to rise and give a well-deserved standing ovation.
So who were these women who elicited such a response? Were they athletes or local politicians?
No.
They were moms, wives, aunts, sisters and sister-in-laws who were ordinary people who did the heroic and beat the scourge of our time---cancer.
The scene I just described was one of the most touching I’ve ever covered in all of my years in this business and something I hope to cover as long as it is around.
Last Thursday, through the incredible hard work and determination of High Point senior basketball player Taylor Smith, the first Pretty in Pink Classic between NJAC American Division rivals High Point and Pope John was held at High Point, and what a night it was.
Smith organized the event as a fund-raiser for breast cancer research. Smith lost her aunt, Cecelia Parise, to breast cancer 10 years ago and Smith thought it would be a great idea to do a basketball game in her honor and raise money for Cecelia’s Angel Fund at Chilton Memorial and for the great organization, Susan G. Komen for the Cure of North Jersey.
It was a sight to behold. The newly refurbished gym at High Point was decked out in pink. The gym was packed with people wearing pink tee-shirts and all the youth-level hoopsters were there in support wearing pink.
It seemed like the whole High Point community was out in support of Smith. Even the grizzled High Point wrestling fans were in attendance in a great show community involvement.
As the teams entered the gym they were wearing pink uniforms, with the Wildcats wearing a dark shade of pink and the Lions of Pope John a lighter shade. Even High Point coach Chris Dexter died his short-cropped hair pink in support of the event.
It was quite a scene, but nothing like the halftime festivities which caught me completely off-guard.
The game itself wasn’t much as High Point rolled to a 54-24 win behind Leanna Tallamy’s 25 points.
But what I will always remember was halftime. As “Wind Beneath My Wings” was being played Smith invited all cancer survivors to come to midcourt to receive flowers from the youth-level players.
Words can’t describe the feeling in the gym at that moment as the women received a 5-minute standing ovation. As my partner Mike Casserly, who knew Cecelia Parise on a personal level as a kid when his family came to Lake Wallkill in Vernon Township during the summertime, said, there wasn’t a person in the gym or watching on Channel 10 that had not been affected by breast cancer.
And he was right.
I lost my Aunt Maureen to the disease about 20 years ago and memories of her came flowing back. I was thinking that due to all the medical breakthroughs over the years that my aunt probably would have beaten cancer if she would have been diagnosed today.
That is why it was so important to see what Smith did the other night. Cancer is a disease that has no discrimination and we need to continue to fight with more money and research.
When the game ended Smith presented a check for close $8,000 for the charities, quite an accomplishment.
The entire High Point community deserves so much credit for helping Smith. And let’s not forget the folks at Pope John who went along with this. Father McHugh, AD Mia Gavan and coach Mike Carlin also played a pivotal role by getting on board.
And give Smith even more credit for not scheduling a patsy, either. Both teams were undefeated in league play coming in so it was no gimme that the Wildcats would win.
Smith was beaming and was almost at a lack for words when I spoke with her. She was just so proud of her family, team, friends and school. The night went off without a hitch and she said she hopes they continue the game after she graduates in June.
I will go one better. The Pretty in Pink Classic should be expanded to all the teams in Sussex County and become an unofficial county championship.
There has been talk about making a Sussex hoops tourney for both boys and girls next winter in lieu of everyone traveling to Christmas Tournaments during the break. If everyone can’t get on board with that, then the girls teams should just do it.
Have all 10 county teams, plus Jefferson if it wants, play a tourney with all the proceeds going to cancer research. It is a win-win for everyone.
I’m sure the coaches and ADs can work out the logistics as far as games and seeding and the final can be held as a boys-girls doubleheader at Wallkill Valley like the old days of the Sussex County Interscholastic League Festival.
It would be a great night for Sussex County basketball. Just something to think about. But I know one thing I will be thinking about for years to come and that was the events that transpired at the Pretty in Pink Classic the other night.
MAGIC MARK---Leanna Tallamy had a big week for the Wildcats as she became the sixth girls player in school history to score 1,000 points. She hit the plateau against Morris Hills.
She joins Colleen Burns, Lorelei Grosskurth, Cori Harrington, Lauren Boyle and Jessie Lain in the exclusive club. It is by no coincidence that the last three players have been coached by Dexter, who before it is all said and done will have put up some impressive numbers at High Point.
And staying with the High Point theme, the wrestling team will make up its match with Group 2 power Brearley on Jan. 17 at High Point. The Wildcats will square off with Jackson on Jan. 31.
Also the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex wrestling tourney is this weekend at Hopatcong. High Point won it last year. Let’s hope this year the finals are contested on one mat, not two like last year at Hunterdon Central.
Mugs Media couldn’t televise the final because of the two-mat situation. We hope to bring the tourney to our viewers this year.
That’s it for now, see you on the sidelines.
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