By Ted Waddell
GRAHAMSVILLE — May 15, 2001 – They start ’em out young on the basketball court in Grahamsville.
And it must work, because at the age of 73 — going on 74 — they’re still out there scoring points for the hometeam hoopsters.
It might have been in the closing seconds of the 16th Annual Thomas TerBush Memorial Scholarship Game, but 10-year-old fourth grader Andrew Yager scored two points for Team Alumni, while 8-year-old second grader Tyler TerBush racked up a couple of points for Team TerBush.
Tyler’s take on the 81-70 win by Team Alumni over Team TerBush?
“I liked it. All the players did very well.”
How did he do? “Pretty good,” he replied.
In the fourth quarter, 73-year-old Don TerBush made one from the three-point arc, causing quite a stir in the crowd.
“It’s great to see all the kids here,” said the TerBush clan elder as he looked out at the floor. “The boys and myself, we can have a whole team. It’s a family tradition.”
Since the annual memorial scholarship game was founded 16 years ago, Don TerBush has played in every game.
The annual event was created in honor of Thomas TerBush (Class of 1976), who was run down by a drunk driver on January 29, 1986 while walking along the side of the road in White Lake..
The memorial game and scholarship fund was the brainchild of Jack Jordan. Last year, the memorial scholarship committee (George Dean, Gary TerBush and Tom Yager) awarded six $250 scholarships to Tri-Valley Central School grads.
Over the years, about $30,000 has been granted to Tri-Valley seniors going on to college.
For the 16th annual basketball game, Tom’s brother Gary TerBush exchanged his uniform jersey for a striped shirt as he officiated the contest where members of the TerBush clan square off against a team comprised of alumni and faculty.
“We grew up together, played sports together and even started together,” recalled Gary TerBush of his older brother. Thomas TerBush was a starting senior, while Gary was a starting sophomore.
“We were on the team together, and that was a real thrill,” said TerBush. “One time we were on a break-away. He had the ball and could have easily scored, but he passed it to me and I made it. I’ll always remember that game.”
In Friday’s 16th annual TerBush Memorial Scholarship Game, the alumni jumped out to a 29-11 first period lead, but Team TerBush started to close the gap by outscoring the competition 19-16 in the second.
In the third period, the TerBush clan outscored the alumni 20-10 to get within 55-51.
With 6:05 remaining on the game clock, Craig TerBush tied it up 64-64, but seconds later Class of 2000 grad Jason Mizrahi made a critical 3-pointer and Team Alumni never looked back.
Double digit hoopsters for Team Alumni: Jason Mizrahi (28), Tom Conjura (14) and Corey Roberts (12).
For Team TerBush: Gary Botsford (22) and Craig TerBush (19).
The game’s “Big Three” men: Craig TerBush (4) and Mizrahi (3).
Team TerBush was coached by Tom Mitchell (Class of 1965) and Don TerBush (Class of 1945).
Team Alumni was coached by George Dean (Class of 1967).
The scorekeepers/timekeepers: Nikki Dean, a 13-year old 8th grader, and Jill Know, a 14-year old freshman at Tri-Valley.
The lineups:
Team TerBush
Donald TerBush, Class of 1945
Barry TerBush, Class of 1967
Dave Moore, Class of 1973
Scott Mickelson, Class of 1974
Al Smith, Class of 1975
Jerry Stevens, Class of 1983
Craig TerBush, Class of 1983
Greg Botsford, Class of 1993
Team Alumni
Bobby Ackerley, Class of 1979
Jim Rennison, Class of 1979
Tim Yager, Class of 1986
Charlie Streimer, Class of 1990
Tom Conjura, Class of 1997
Corey Roberts, Class of 1997
Jason Mizrahi, Class of 2000