The Fulton Maroons 2.0 continue to relive their glory days.
The Maroons 2.0 made it three straight tournament wins, taking the fourth annual Greater Vernon Alumni Basketball tournament at Vernon Secondary School’s Panther Pit Dec. 26 and 27.
The two-day hoops event brings back men and women alumni from Vernon-area high schools to play basketball and raise money for local athletics and charity.
“This tournament started as just an idea by a few VSS alumni after poor participation in a VSS-only alumni tournament,” said tournament founder Jeff Samuel. “Four years later, we have raised slightly more than $20,000 which has been donated back to the community, including an annual memorial scholarship commemorating my brother, who was an excellent student and athlete at Fulton prior to passing away in 1991.”
In the men’s tournament, the Maroons 2.0 of Fulton successfully completed its three-peat against the Fulton Hawks, taking the final 51-54. In the third-place game, Brick City (VSS) lost 60-50 to the Multi-Cultural Maroons, also from Fulton.
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“Honourable mention goes to the Rec Division champions, the 0&76ers of VSS, and to Happy Nahal of the Multi-Cultural Maroons, who was the Bump Champion in a fun side competition that welcomed fans, volunteers, and players to participate,” said Samuel.
Four women’s teams, representing VSS (2), Fulton, and CBSS, competed in a four-team mini-tournament. It was the Lady Alums from Fulton, led by strong performances by Meghan Faust and Madison Kaneda, that claimed the women’s title over the CBSS Timberwolves. Kaneda also was crowned the tournament’s 3-Point Champion, beating out a field of 14 men’s and women’s sharpshooters.
Concept Physiotherapy, Tolko, Kal Tire, and Lake City Law were the major tournament sponsors covering tournament expenses, while many other organizations throughout the community provided in-kind donations for the tournament’s silent auction, including a ski pack to Revelstoke Mountain, donated by Faction Projects, and a one-week pass for two donated by Eagle Bay Camp.
“This was our most successful tournament yet,” said tournament founder John Oh. “It wouldn’t have been possible without our sponsors and the hard work of our small team of organizers and volunteers.”
If you would like to be involved in subsequent tournaments, organizers encourage anyone to reach out, specifically those with social media and graphic design skills. If you would like to volunteer or make a donation, you can contact organizers by e-mailing vernonalumnibasketball@gmail.com.
GVAB is on social media:
• Web: www.alumnibasketball.ca
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/vernonalumnibasketball
• Twitter: @vernonhoops
• Instagram: @vernonbasketball
• Contact: Jeff Samuel at vernonalumnibasketball@gmail.com
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