A huge win

May 16, 2008 08:06 am

— SUNBURY — Eric “Broadway” Jones doesn’t believe in chance.
When representatives of the Northumberland-Snyder Special Olympics contacted Jones’ team — the Globetrotter-esque Harlem Wizards — last month to come to town and put on a show, it was more than simple luck.
The Wizards were already going to be traveling through the region and, despite the short notice, thought nothing of dropping in for a good cause.
“Not that we don’t always enjoy coming out to help people, but you know when something’s extra special ... you put a little more effort into helping them,” Jones said while sitting on the sideline before the start of Thursday night’s charity basketball game at Shikellamy High School.
The Special Olympics lost everything — clothing, equipment, trophies — in a March 31 fire at the Shamokin Dam Health Clinic, where it had been renting space in the basement.
After the fire, Lynn Hunter, a Sunbury resident with no affiliation with the Special Olympics, offered to bring the Wizards to town to raise money to help the program get back on its feet.
“He saw somebody in need and stepped up big time,” said Doug Cooper, manager of the Northumberland-Snyder Special Olympics. “It was just fortunate we hooked up right after the fire.”
Valley businesses helped foot the bill to bring the Wizards to town, Hunter said, so all the money raised from ticket sales went directly to the Special Olympics.
Hunter also arranged to have Jon Boy, a rap artist from VH1’s “White Rapper Show,” perform at halftime.
“Wherever I can help out, I always try to,” Boy said. “I want to make sure, whatever they had, they get back. If not nicer.”
Several Special Olympians sat in the stands and watched the Wizards go up against the Sunbury YMCA All-Stars, a group composed primarily of Shikellamy basketball players and members of the YMCA.
Facing off against players with nicknames like “High Octane,” “The Enforcer” and “Rocket Man,” the All-Stars didn’t stand much of a chance (not to mention the Wizards’ 3,000-game winning streak), but the event wasn’t about the competition.
“I told them to go play,” said coach Jim Ermert, youth supervisor at the YMCA. “Offensively, go do what you do ... Defensively, (the Wizards) will arrange things themselves out here.”
The game was part-competition, part-show, with Wizards’ players dancing on the court, stopping to tie their shoes and trading trick shots for kisses with members of the 300-plus crowd.
“We want the community to have a good time. We want to make a buck, and they want to make money for their cause,” Jones said. “It’s a win-win across the board.”
The Northumberland-Snyder Special Olympics is holding a swim meet at 9:30 a.m. May 31 at Shamokin Area High School. About 50 Special Olympics athletes will be competing.
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Photos

Zachary Hunter, 2, of Sunbury, on Thursday night reaches for his basketball, autographed by Jon Boy, a rap artist from VH1's "White Rapper Show." The boy performed at halftime of a charity basketball game between a local team and the Harlem Wizards. The benefit raised funds for the Northumberland-Snyder Special Olympics.

Members of the crowd at the Shikellamy High School field house look on Thursday night as a local basketball team took on the Harlem Wizards in a charity basketball game. At right, a Harlem Wizard makes one of the team's many layups during the third quarter of Thursday night's fundraiser. The Wizards have won 3,000 consecutive games, a Harlem player says.

Visitors to Thursday night's fundraiser for the Northumberland-Snyder Special Olympics at Shikellamy High School look over a souvenir stand selling Harlem Wizards T-shirts, balls and other items.

A Harlem Wizard makes one of the team's many layups during the third quarter of Thursday night's fundraiser.