By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
Reporter@sbnewspaper.com
The energy level of an excitable crowd at was high on Wednesday as the Harlem Ambassadors flooded the San Benito High School gymnasium to play a game of show basketball against Team CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates of Cameron and Willacy Counties), which was compiled of local celebrities.
San Benito Mayor Celeste Z. Sanchez and San Benito Consolidated Independent School District Superintendent Dr. Marc A. Puig teamed up to welcome both the Harlem Ambassadors and CASA representatives on behalf of the City and SBCISD.
Playing for Team CASA were the following: Coach Luis Garza; Hon. Alex Dominguez; Coach Eddie Abrego; Hon. Guadalupe Ayala; Coach Michael Mull; Rene Rico; Coach Jimmy Young; Father Andy; Coach Joshua Perez; Coach Heriberto Perez; and Hon. J.D. Penny. Playing for the Harlem Ambassadors were: Coach Lade Majic; Dustin Baxter, Kevin Gray, Patric Massey, Mike Wilkes and Dayon Hall.
Founded in 1998, the Harlem Ambassadors are in their 17th season of show basketball. Majik explained the group’s name by saying, “Harlem is traditionally associated with African Americans, and ambassadors traditionally go to other countries.” The team travels to other areas proclaiming the name of Jesus Christ, according to Majik, while helping nonprofit organizations raise awareness and funds for a variety of causes.
To date, Majik said the Harlem Ambassadors have helped their partners raise $11 million in funding. The group additionally promotes family-friendly entertainment where the general focus of the event seems to center on having a good time. More specifically, the Ambassadors’ Head Coach said the group aims to support student athletes, where “student comes first; athlete comes second.”
In between jokes and gags, where the Harlem Ambassadors often stopped the basketball game to wrestle members of Team CASA or to hold a comedic dance-off, kids were pulled from the audience and made to be a focal point of the evening. The Harlem Ambassadors reportedly take an oath to be drug-free, and share their message to children by saying: “Drug-free. College degree.”
At one point, Majik brought a dozen children onto the court for a quick game of “Hot Potato,” where she tossed a basketball to each child and the kid who dropped it was out. The game had two lucky winners: Christa Gonzalez, 8, and Jade Maya, 7, both of San Benito.
Christa smiled from ear-to-ear as she explained how much fun she had playing a game with the Ambassadors. “I never played basketball before,” she said.
Jade said her favorite part of the festivities was “getting my picture.” Both winners got their photograph taken with the Harlem Ambassadors, and both girls received autographed posters of all the players.
During halftime, kids of all ages – from one to 99 – were called to the dance floor, also known as the basketball court, for a dance-a-thon.
Finally, with three minutes left on the clock, in the fourth quarter, the ball was retired and a hot pink football was enlisted as the game shifted entirely from basketball to football. Majik said, “Football season is not over. We’ve never lost at football, and we don’t plan to start now.”
For those keeping score, the Ambassadors took team CASA in a final score of 53 to 27. But there were truly no losers at this one-of-a-kind event.
Commissioner Penny said he had a great time as both a player and participant in Wednesday’s game. “It was fun, actually. I didn’t think it was going to be that fun. But what’s good is they involved all the kids. It was a little bit of basketball playing, and a lot of involvement with kids. It was funny – all the skits. But what’s good is they had kid involvement at halftime … and the giveaways. It was fun to watch.”
CASA Executive Director Richard Alaniz spoke at the end of the evening. He first thanked everyone for attending. He then thanked the event’s sponsors and the Harlem Ambassadors. Ultimately, he took the opportunity to urge people in the crowd and members of the community to get involved with CASA. “We are in need of volunteers,” Alaniz said. “Become an advocate for a child. God bless you all.”
For more information about CASA, visit casaofcameronandwillacy.org.
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