York Lions men’s basketball will be represented at what promises to be an entertaining showdown: the All-Star Charity Shootout, Saturday at Humber College.
Lions’ Canadian rookie of the year Tut Ruach (right) and Bob Bain, head coach of the Lions and just back from a year on sabbatical, will join 19 of the top male basketball players at the university and college level in the 1st Annual All-Star Charity Shootout.
While providing a stage that features the skills of all-star Canadian players, the event is also aimed at raising money for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Etobicoke Chapter, and Athletes for Africa, which raises funds for infrastructure projects and sustainable development solutions for Africa’s poorest regions.
Two teams will each represent one of the charitable organizations. Adding a twist to the traditional “all-star” game format, the charity represented by the winning team will receive 60 per cent of the proceeds from the event while the charity represented by the losing team will receive 40 per cent.
“The goal of this event is to raise awareness for Canadian basketball at the college and university level,” explains organizer Fitzallen Sutton. “And with the players representing two different charities, the game will be more competitive, more exciting for the fans and will keep the players on their toes.”
In addition to Ruach, the Candian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) 2005 Rookie of the Year, the game will include Ontario University Atheltics all-time scorer and rebounder Kevin Dulude of Royal Military College, as well as Ontario Community Colleges Association 2005 Player of the Year Ndale Philbert of George Brown College and 2004 All-Canadian Shane Dennie of Humber College.
Bain, the Lions’ 30-year veteran coach and two-time CIS coach of the year, will guide the Heart and Stroke Foundation team, while Darrell Glenn, coach of Humber College’s men’s team, and Virgill Hill, coach of Laurentian University’s men’s team, will lead the Athletes for Africa team.
The “Clash of the Charities” will be hosted by special guest MC Cabral “Cabbie” Richards from The Score with DJ Golden Child from Toronto’s 105.5 FM working the turntables.
Doors open at 7pm and the game begins at 7:55pm. Tickets (adults $12, students $10, children under 12 $6) are available by calling 1-888-222-6608 or online at Ticketweb.com. Group sales of 6 or more are available by calling 647-889-4594. For details and updates, visit www.allstarcharityshootout.com