By Versailles Dalessio, Staff Writer
For the second straight year, First Flight is planning a great weekend of basketball for a Good Guy to raise money for the American Cancer Society.
On Dec. 13-14, the second annual Phenom Hoops “Good Guys vs Cancer Showcase” presented by Albemarle Landscapes and Tree Service is being held in memory of Guy Williams, head basketball coach Chad Williams’ father. Guy succumbed to cancer last December, just weeks after the first tournament, but his memory lives on as part of this offshoot of the national “Coaches vs. Cancer” movement.
“Anytime you can get something that has a name versus cancer in it, I think it raises awareness automatically,” Williams said. “Last year we were able to send a donation of around $12,000 to the American Cancer Society.”
The tournament itself raised more than $4,000, and donations in lieu of flowers continued to pour into the school in the following weeks after Guy Williams’ memorial service. Coaches vs. Cancer works alongside the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches and has raised more than $100 million for cancer research.
Partnering this year with Phenom Hoops — an NCAA scouting service — Williams is featuring 21 high school teams, with three ranking in the top 100 in the country, as well as two players ranked among the top 20 in America. Yet the tournament also still had a local flavor as well thanks to participation from Manteo, Cape Hatteras, Ocracoke, Pasquotank, Camden, Hertford County and, of course, the Nighthawks.
The five games played Friday evening and 10 contests spanning from 8 in the morning to 11 at night Saturday include defending state champions Farmville Central and South Central, plus nationally ranked Word of God. The big names will be a big draw for basketball fans throughout the region.
“It’s an opportunity for us to come together for a common goal, raise awareness in the community, to bring good basketball to the community and just yet again, to honor my dad,” Williams said.
Participating in this event are Duke commit Henry Coleman of Trinity Episcopal School of Richmond, Va., along with Michigan commit Isaiah Todd from Word of God Christian Academy in Raleigh. Another well-known player coming in is Myers Park’s Drake Maye, brother of former UNC Tar Heel Luke Maye and an Alabama football recruit. Junior Dontrez Styles from Kinston and junior Terquavion Smith from Farmville Central also will add to the spectacle.
“It’s a level of basketball that’s never been in Dare County before,” Williams said. “The athleticism and the talent level — the sheer number of Division I athletes at one time — is something that this area hasn’t seen before, and I hope (fans) will embrace it and realize that this is a showcase that’s actually now picked up national recognition.”
In order to make this project a success, a lot of effort is being put in by a lot of individuals. Williams was excited to announce that Chase Patterson of Albemarle Landscapes and Tree Service has already committed to title sponsorship both this year and next. Other sponsors including OBX Chevy Buick, Twiddy Realty, BSN Sports, Pizzazz Pizza, BEFCOR, The Farmer’s Daughter, First National Bank, Farm Bureau Insurance, OBX Motel Group, Towne Bank, OBX Hilton Garden Inn, The Ramada, Good Measure Graphics, Overton Corporation, and Doug Doughtie and the Dare County Sheriff’s Department also are supporting Good Guys vs. Cancer.
Additionally, Williams is grateful for the help of his team’s parents and his own family, who have dedicated much of their time and energy into making the event work.
The Nighthawks realize just how important this event is because of the great basketball and the great cause.
“It’s fun to play these teams because it’s good competition,” senior Joe Davidson said. “It’s not really all about basketball during the tournament, but it’s about the cause that you’re going for and all the people that you’re helping by playing.”
First Flight faces the tall task of playing Word of God in the Friday night finale at 9:30 and Kinston to close the showcase Saturday at 9:30, just after the marquee Word of God vs. Farmville Central showdown at 8. But his Nighthawks never back down from a challenge with a chance to show off their capabilities.
“It’s an opportunity for us to show basketball level-wise that we can compete with some of the best teams around, that we’re not scared to play against anyone, and that we have some really talented players here,” Williams said.
Tickets for the event are $10 at the door (no passes out) or fans can purchase a VIP pass for $40 that includes come-and-go admission, reserved seating, a tournament T-shirt and concessions. VIP Passes can be purchased on the GoFan Mobile App at this link: https://gofan.co/app/events/75501
The complete schedule is:
- Friday, 3:30: Ocracoke vs Northside
- Friday, 5: Trinity Christian vs East Carteret
- Friday, 6:30: Pender vs Plymouth
- Friday, 8: Myers Park vs Trinity Episcopal
- Friday, 9:30: FFHS vs Word of God
- Saturday, 8 a.m.: Manteo vs Pasquotank
- Saturday, 9:30: Camden vs Hertford County
- Saturday, 11: East Carteret vs Washington
- Saturday, 12:30 p.m.: Cape Hatteras vs Ocracoke (Battle for the Paddle game)
- Saturday, 2: Trinity Christian vs Pender
- Saturday, 3:30: Plymouth vs Currituck
- Saturday, 5: Trinity Episcopal vs Landstown
- Saturday, 6:30: South Central vs Myers Park
- Saturday, 8: Farmville Central vs Word of God
- Saturday, 9:30: FFHS vs Kinston
Check out this tournament hype video produced by Phenom Hoops! [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rypSx1t9Azw[/embedyt]
Sophomore Versailles Dalessio can be reached at 22DALESSIOVE31@daretolearn.org.
