The inaugural Crestwood High School Alumni Basketball Tournament held Saturday, Aug. 13, at Wright Township park basketball courts was a huge success.
The event was organized by Crestwood graduate Tommy Benz with the help of the Crestwood Basketball Booster Club which benefited from the tournament. More than 30 former Crestwood basketball players participated in the event which consisted of two first-round games and a championship game between the winners.
The first-round games featured Team Benz (coached by Tom Benz) vs. Team Flanagan (coached by Bill Flanagan) and Team Gramazio (coached by Frank “Butchie” Gramazio) vs. Team Leclair (coached by Paul Leclair). Team Benz and Team Gramazio won the first-round games and played in the championship contest. The championship game was won by Team Gramazio.
Following the games, there was a 3-point contest won by Nick Ruggeri, Class of 2021.
Officials who volunteered their time were Eric Lawson, Steve Modrovsky, Bob Donahue and Steve Harnischfeger.
Crestwood basketball coach Mark Atherton, who played for Team Gramazio, lauded Benz for his efforts to bring the event together.
“Tommy does so much to give back to the community,” Atherton said of Benz.
Gramazio, a 1977 Crestwood graduate, was thrilled to see some of his former teammates like Jim and Bill Flanagan and to coach on the courts where he spent many nights.
“It was such a great feeling to step back onto this court,” Gramazio related. “It brings back a flood of memories.”
He pointed out when his family moved to Mountain Top from Wilkes-Barre’s Rolling Mill Hill in the early 1970s, there were no courts in Wright Township.
“This park was a Godsend,” he offered. “I spent a massive amount of time here.”
Following the first-round games, Atherton thanked Benz and booster club president Megan Kennedy for their work to put on the tournament which he said he hoped will become an annual event. Grant Carter, Crestwood High School class of 2004, talked about the basketball program’s mentorship program which he and Atherton initiated. He encouraged alumni to get involved in the project.
Kennedy expressed her appreciation to Benz, the players, coaches and members of the booster club who helped with the tournament.
