BUENA VISTA _ A major fundraiser for cancer research took place last weekend at St. Augustine Prep. The 12th annual Olympic-Cape Challenge basketball tournament featured squads from the Olympic Conference and Cape-Atlantic League to benefit a cause close to many: The Shoot Down Cancer Foundation.
“We wanted to do something basketball related for cancer research,” explained tournament director Dave Catalana of the Shoot Down Cancer Foundation. “My son was sick and we wanted to give back to Children's Hospital. Now [he is] a 17-year-old, who started out as a ball boy and works here at the tournament. For me, that's what it’s all about.”
The 13-game Olympic-Cape Challenge fundraiser helps fund cancer research at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia.
“The idea of the Olympic-Cape came from the colleges where they have the Big East vs. the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference), those types of challenges," Catalana said. “We decided to do something like that. The schools love coming down, a lot of the teams are getting ready for the playoffs and for some of the teams that didn't make the playoffs this is like a playoff atmosphere for them.”
Catalana's son Garrett was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a fairly rare form of cancer that affects infants and children when he was 15 months old. There are 650 neuroblastoma cases each year in the United States.
Garrett has been in remission since May 1996. His battle makes the basketball tournament an extra special event for the Catalana family.
“He was treated at CHOP and thank God he has been in remission,” Catalana said. “He had a tough battle and his odds weren't great, so we were extremely blessed.”
Since its inception in 2001, the Olympic-Cape Challenge has raised nearly $275,000.
“We want to continue the arrangement, we want to keep doing the tournament,” Catalana said. “As long as the two conferences want to continue to send their teams here we are going to keep doing it.”
The Olympic Conference was the winner this year, taking the two-day event with seven wins in 13 games. Cape-Atlantic League winners included Mainland, Vineland, Ocean City, St. Augustine, Egg Harbor Township and Holy Spirit.
The teams use this event prepare for both the new CAL playoffs and the NJSIAA playoffs later this month.
“The (postseason) cutoff is over,” Catalana said. “Teams like to have good matchup at this stage of the season to get ready for the playoffs.”
The weekend of basketball is always entertaining, like the overtime finish that occurred in a game between Paul VI and Atlantic City game. In the end, there is a lot of sentimental value for Catalanta and his family that goes further than basketball.
“I love so much that there are so many people who are willing to give their time,” Catalana said. “Friends, family and also the coaches who come here. The teams thank us and want to come back every year. They understand what we are trying to do. They are here for whatever we need them to do and that makes me feel good.”
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