By Rob Potter
LAKE HUNTINGTON The score was kept at Tuesday night’s non-league basketball game between the Tri-Valley Lady Bears and the host Sullivan West Bulldogs, but the real winners were people throughout Sullivan County.
In a game with a “Pink Out” theme, all proceeds from the contest were donated to the Oncology Unit at Catskill Regional Medical Center (CRMC) in Harris. When all of the donations were added up, which included the cash collected at the admission table leading into the SW gymnasium, a donation by the members of the Lady Bears team members to SW Coach Pat Donovan and half of the proceeds from the concession stand run by the SW senior class, a total of $2,000 was raised for the CRMC Oncology Unit.
T-V won the game, 37-20, to improve to 4-1 on the season.
Skylar Musa scored a game-high 13 points to lead the Lady Bears’ offense.
Jakki Pugh had nine points, Kathryn Schneyer added six points and Allyson Bowers netted four points for T-V.
“Skylar [Musa] had a tremendous game tonight, it was probably her best game ever,” T-V Coach Andy Taggart said. “Jakki [Pugh] and Kelly [McNamara] had a great game. Kathryn Schneyer did a excellent job of rebounding tonight.”
Taggart noted that the Lady Bears were very excited about playing the game to help others in the community.
“This is a great cause,” he said.
Katrina Graby led the Lady Bulldogs with six points, while teammates Autumn Ackermann and Shelby Grishaber added four points and three points, respectively.
However, Graby left the game with 3:49 remaining in the third quarter after suffering an injury. In a show of good sportsmanship, fans and players from both teams applauded as Graby was helped off the court.
SW Coach Pat Donovan praised Musa for doing “a great job” and lauded his players for doing a good job with their 2-3 zone defense.
Donovan noted that Graby is “a gamer” and is hopeful she will be back to 100 percent very soon.
Like Taggart, Donovan was pleased that two communities came together to support a cause more important than athletics. He noted that raising money to help support those who have suffered from cancer or have family members or friends who have battled the disease is more important than division titles, sectional championships and state titles.
“Two communities came together to help others,” Donovan said. “It was a very exciting night.”
On the game programs, several individuals, organizations and businesses were thanked for helping to support the game.
They included the Sullivan West Honor Society, Anaconda Sports, The Sullivan County Democrat, Glorianne Ellison, Cindy and Richard Humleker, parents of the SW varsity girls’ players, SW administration, SW custodial team, the T-V girls’ basketball team and the SW varsity girls’ basketball program.