The Rotary Club of Williamsville to sponsor Holiday Basketball Tournament

The Rotary Club of Williamsville and the Williamsville South High School Basketball Boosters Club will sponsor a Holiday Basketball Tournament December 28-29 at Williamsville South High School, 5950 Main Street.

The tournament will feature boys’ varsity and junior varsity teams from Williamsville South, Williamsville North, Starpoint and Fredonia high schools.

On December 28, the JV tournament will be played at 2:30 p.m. (North-Fredonia) and 4 p.m. (South-Starpoint) followed by the varsity tournament at 6 p.m. (North-Lake Shore) and 7:30 p.m. (South-Starpoint). The consolation (2:30, JV; 6 p.m. varsity) and finals (4 p.m. JV; 7:30 p.m. varsity) will be held on Dec. 29.

“This is the third annual tournament benefiting our community,” said Jerry Sheldon, Rotary chairman for the

event. “We hope to build on the success of last year’s tournament and provide an entertaining annual sporting event. Our goal is to make this tournament a great holiday tradition for both athletes and spectators alike.”

“It’s been a huge success,” added Williamsville South coach Al Monaco. “We never knew how big it was going to get when it started. Jerry Sheldon and the guys at the Rotary do a fabulous job and volunteer a lot of time and effort. The crowds at the tournament last year were bigger than the first year and we’re hoping for another great tournament.”

North has beaten South in the finals the past two years.

The Starpoint game has an added storyline. All of Starpoint Principal Gil Licata’s kids, Rachel, just graduated,

played for South’s girls varsity basketball, Claire, a current junior on the South girls varsity team and Joey, an eighth grader on the South boys JV, attend South.

“It’s a nice little rivalry there especially with them being a league rival in recent years,” Monaco added.

The Williamsville South High Athletic Department will assist with tournament operations and the Boosters Club will run a concession stand to benefit the school’s sports program. Proceeds received by the Williamsville Rotary from admissions, raffle and program will go toward student scholarships and other charitable purposes in the Amherst community.

Admission is $2 per adult and $1 per student. The iPod raffle is $2 per ticket and three for $5.

For more information, contact Sheldon at 332-5928.