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THE PEABODY ADVOCATE–Friday, December 1, 2017
Harlem Wizards dazzle Peabody Pride with basketball antics By Christopher Roberson
T
eachers from the Carroll, Burke and McCarthy Elementary Schools recently joined other city officials to form the Peabody Pride as they
took on the Harlem Wizards in a charity basketball game. Hosted by the Carroll Parent Teacher Organization (PTO), the Nov. 20 game raised approximately $3,500 for enrichment programs, field trips as
well as technology and classroom supplies. Mayor Edward Bettencourt, who was captain of the Holy Cross Division I basketball team in the mid-1990s, was on the court for Peabody along with Councillor-at-Large Thomas Gould, who served as the Pride’s head coach.
James Tyndal of the Harlem Wizards during the team’s game against the Peabody Pride on Nov. 20 at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School. (Photo courtesy of KD DeLoreto)
Roscoe Johnson (left) and John Smith (right) of the Harlem Wizards demonstrate their trick basketball skills on Nov. 20 at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School. (Photo courtesy of KD DeLoreto)
Gerald Warrick of the Harlem Wizards goes in for a layup during the team’s game against the Peabody Pride on Nov. 20 at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School. (Photo courtesy of KD DeLoreto)
“It was a lot of fun to be part of the game and to help raise money for Peabody schools,” said Gould. “To also see how athletic and entertaining the Wizards were was quite a thrill.” Despite Harlem’s trickery that featured frequent dunks and ball-handling that was almost a blur, the Pride managed to end the first quarter with a 21-20 lead. However, that was just about all Peabody could muster against professional basketball players as the Wizards went into halftime with a 43-31 advantage. More interested in comedy than basketball, the Wizards stopped the game several times to run up into the stands, take selfies and dance with the fans. Yet, Harlem still put the game away in the second half, ultimately outscoring the Pride by 40 points. Carroll Principal Tracy Smith
said she enjoyed being part of the event. “The game was awesome; it was so great to see the communities of the Carroll, Burke and McCarthy Schools come together for the kids,” she said. “The Wizards did score, like, 40 points on us during my four minutes in the game, but we still had fun.” Carroll School Secretary Sandra DaCunha said it was a pleasure to represent Peabody’s children. “I had a great time playing against the Harlem Wizards; being able to be on the court with these professionals and playing within their show was amazing,” she said. “The best part of the night was seeing all the kids with huge smiles on their faces. That was the main reason that I participated in the event: It was all for the kids.” Elementar y School Re source Officer Richard Co-
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Elementary School Resource Officer Richard Cochran of the Peabody Pride during the team’s game against the Harlem Wizards on Nov. 20 at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School. (Photo courtesy of KD DeLoreto)
The Peabody Pride, largely comprised of teachers from the Burke, McCarthy and Carroll Elementary Schools, with some of their students and James Tyndal of the Harlem Wizards during the Pride’s Nov. 20 game against the Wizards. (Photo courtesy of KD DeLoreto)