Mt. Vernon Register-News

Homepage

Related Photos

  • Ina Grade School kindergartener Trinity Johnson gets some help spinning a basketball from Harlem Wizards Rashaan “Rocket Man” Barner and James “Roadrunner” Tyndall Thursday morning. Three members of the team toured grade schools around Jefferson County Thursday to spread the word about a Feb. 26 show at Ina Grade School. RORYE O’CONNOR/REGISTER-NEWS

    images_sizedimage_035221012
February 4, 2010

Basketball wizardry visits schools

By RORYE O’CONNOR

rorye.oconnor@register-news.com

MT. VERNON— Ina Grade School is bringing Harlem talent to the basketball court.

The Harlem Wizards, a basketball show-team, will be performing 6:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Ina Grade School gymnasium, as a fundraiser for the school sponsored by the Ina Parent-Teacher Organization and the Ina Fall Festival.

“Hopefully both organizations will benefit from the event,” said Marla Paine, event co-organizer. “The PTO will use our part of the profits for the school’s needs.”

The Harlem Wizards, who play a type of show basketball they call “Tricks, Hoops and Alley Oops” were established as a team in 1962 and currently have a winning streak of more than 2,800 games, according to the Wizards Web site.

Paine said she had been interested in bringing the team to Southern Illinois for a while, and she enjoyed their Harlem Globetrotters-style performances.

“A jazzy, fun-filled event is what we’re expecting,” Paine said. “We’re very excited.”

Three members of the Harlem Wizards, Michael “Big Mike” Mathews, Rashaan “Rocket Man” Barner and James “Roadrunner” Tyndall, came to Jefferson County Thursday to area grade schools to entertain the kids and spread the word about the upcoming event.

Students and even a few teachers got to participate with the players Thursday morning at the Ina Grade School gym. Onlookers cheered and jeered as the Wizards players tested participants’ reaction time with a passing game.

The three Wizards also paid half-hour visits to Dodds Grade School, Opdyke-Belle Rive Grade School, Bethel Grade School, McClellan Grade School, Bluford Grade School, Waltonville Grade School, Summersville Grade School and the Primary Center.

Jerry Conner, Ina Fall Festival organizer, said he and Paine decided to work together to bring the team to Ina.

He said attendees to the Jan. 26 event should expect trick shots, slam dunks and a lot of give-aways from businesses throughout the community.

Advance tickets are $8 for students and seniors, and $10 for general admission. At the door, tickets will be $10 for students and seniors, and $12 for general admission. Tickets may be purchased by calling Ina Grade School at 437-5361, or in person at Ina Grade School, Ina Village Hall, the Ina Community First Bank, or Old National Bank in Mt. Vernon.

Text Only
Homepage
Check

Third grade students at Bluford Grade School proudly display a “check” for $1,900 to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. K-12 students at Bluford’s schools have been collecting loose change the last three weeks to raise money for the hospital. From left are third grade students Makenna Toth, Landon Hicks, Summer Douglass and Peyton Reed.

Local
Sports
Obituaries
Features
Poll