By Rob Potter
GRAHAMSVILLE — March 25, 2003 – The basketball games played at the Tri-Valley Central School gymnasium Saturday night did not feature the dynamic slam dunks or last second shots of the NCAA basketball tournament.
But to the dozens of players and fans, the games were much more important.
The contests, the first pitting two teams of T-V sixth grade Bear Cub Basketball graduates against each other and the second featuring a team of T-V alumni versus a squad of T-V faculty and staff members, benefitted Amy Paes and her family.
Paes is a fifth-grade student at T-V and a member of one of the Bear Cub teams. (The Bear Cub program includes youngsters from second grade through sixth grade.)
Last year, she was diagnosed with cancer and lost her leg to the disease. Her condition improved and Paes returned to school.
Unfortunately, a couple of months ago, Paes’ doctors discovered more cancerous tumors and she has been undergoing treatment ever since.
Holding a benefit basketball game in March is nothing new at T-V. For the past several years, the TerBush Game has been held to honor the memory of Tom TerBush, who was killed in a 1986 car accident.
“We talked with the TerBush family about holding this game and they were very supportive,” said Jason Semo, a T-V teacher and one of the event’s organizers. “And this keeps the spirit of the TerBush game alive.”
A moment of silence for Tom TerBush was held before the T-V Alumni versus T-V Faculty/Staff game.
A host of community members helped organize the benefit games. They included Semo, Bob Ackerley, Kathy Denman, Janet and Faith Dymond, Regina Metzner, Scott and Cindy Mickelson and Jerry Stevens.
Several area businesses and organizations donated prizes for a raffle that was held at the event. Among them were Eastern Correctional Facility, Grahamsville Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, LaGuex Hardware, Superior Lumber, Nina’s Restaurant, Golden Shears, Last Licks, Cooper Paint, Video Mania, Grey’s Woodworks, Woodbourne Lawn & Garden, Miller Tires, New Age Health Spa and Murphy’s Craft Barn.
Referees Dan Hendrickson and Charlie Tyler donated their time for the evening.
Between the admission fees for the basketball games and proceeds from the raffle, over $3,000 was raised for Amy Paes and her family.
“This is such a great school and great community,” Semo said. “Everyone came out tonight to support a great cause.”
In the Bear Cub graduate game, the White Team defeated the Blue Team by a final score of 27-20. On the White Bear Cub team, which was coached by Brent Lawrence, were Dominick Baggata, John Bernstein, Jason Conelly, Kevin Fanning, Robert Favre, Joey Lennington, Shana Rossi, Jenifer Tenney and Ryan VanLiew.
Members of the Blue Bear Cub team, coached by Mark Sonak, were Ryan Ansbro, Weston Curry, Paul Donahue, Katy Dymond, Brandon Edwards, Kaitlyn Exner, Angela Giacalone, Will Leon, Sean McNamara, Danielle Sanok, Dustin VanLiew and Andrew Yager.
In the second game of the evening, the T-V Faculty/Staff team topped the T-V Alumni squad, 63-57.
Members of the T-V Alumni team included Michael Botsford (Class of 1984), Tom Conjura (’97), Nial Edwards (’87), John Hamilton (’84), Steve Jones (’99), Justin Mootz (’98), Jim Rennison (’79), Corey Roberts (’97), Megan Sheeley (’01) and Charley Streamer (’90).
The T-V Faculty/Staff squad consisted of Greg Botsford, Brent Lawrence, Scott Mickelson, Dave Moore, Ed Musa, John Rusin, Jason Semo, Jerry Stevens, John Tenbus and Brian Tingley.