Sixty Seniors Set To Take Center Court This Friday

(Springfield, MA) – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame will once again showcase the third annual Western Mass Senior High School All-Star Games this Friday, March 19 beginning at 5:30PM.

 The evening will include three games on the Hall of Fame’s Center Court with tickets priced at $8 / Adult and $5/Student and are available beginning at 5PM.

 
Western Mass. Senior High School Basketball All-Star Game Schedule

5:30PM - Boys, Division II vs. Division III

7:00PM - Girls, Division I vs. Division II-III

8:30PM - Boys, Division I, team one vs. Division I, team two

Rosters & Schools

Division II Boys: Robbie Burke, Hoosac; Andre King, Sabis; Brendan Rios, Easthampton; Dane Jobst, Mahar; Anthony Sims, Drury; Zach Garbacik, South Hadley; Tyriq Rochester, Mahar; Tim Lynch, Palmer; Bill Heaphy, Taconic, Branden Labrie, Hampshire

Division III Boys: Nick Bryda, Holyoke Catholic; Steve Siller, Ware; Devonte Vanderpool, New Leadership; Phil Warrick, New Leadership; Matt Chamberlain, Frontier; Ben Raimer, McCann; Trey Morin, Lee; John Ference, St. Mary; Pat Viewcek, Pioneer Valley; Foster Alston, Dean Tech

Division I Girls: Brisje Malone, Central; A’Lece Mark, Central; Kristina Ferrentino, East Longmeadow; Tania Ortiz, Holyoke; Jenna Williamson, Ludlow; Alyssa Leonard, Ali Pessolano, Minnechaug; Kyleigh Oliveira, Agawam; Jenna Klaes, Amherst; Erin Sweeney, Chicopee Comp

Division II-III Girls: Sara Mills, Monument Mountain; Alyssa Nejaime, Monument Mountain; Ashley Moussette, Hampshire; Katrina Caulfield, Palmer; Alyssa Orszulak, Palmer; Katie Eckert, Lee; Julia Warner, Lee; Nhi Nguyen, McCann; Meghan Boyle, Monson; Justine King, Ware

Division I Boys (team one): Jesse Coulon, Northampton; Ellis Cooper; Pat Harrington, Northampton; Jordan Smith, Central; Pat Thomas, Central; Kevin McCoy, Commerce; Juan Lopez, Holyoke; Aaron Rogers, Westfield; Dylan Willey, Westfield; Dannie Gryszko, West Springfield; Sean Cunningham, Amherst

Division I Boys (team two): James Bertier, East Longmeadow, Dan Martin, East Longmeadow; Devin Abad, East Longmeadow; Ryan Mickiewicz, East Longmeadow; Theo Robinson, Sci-Tech; Arthur Williams, Sci-Tech; Chrys Malone, Sci-Tech; Chris Petrone, Minnechaug; Troy Ocho, Longmeadow; Jordan Couture, Cathedral; Ryan Malone, Chicopee Comp

Panini America Brings Basketball Legends And The Adrenalyn Tour To The Basketball Hall of Fame

Panini To Present Hall Of Fame With The World’s Largest Trading Card 

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Panini America (www.paniniamerica.net), a subsidiary of The Panini Group, the leading global publisher of sports and entertainment collectables will bring Basketball Legends and the Adrenalyn Tour to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend (March 13-14) for basketball skills activities, games and giveaways.  In addition, Panini will present the Basketball Hall of Fame with the World’s Largest Signed Game-Used Jersey Card, which was authenticated by Guinness at the NBA All-Star Game in Dallas.  The life-size card of Kobe Bryant which includes a 15-inch-by-15-inch swatch of an official jersey he wore in a game and was autographed by him measured 7-feet high by 4-feet, 11inches wide and will be on display at the Hall of Fame.

Panini Adrenalyn Weekend festivities will include:

• Distribution of more than 10,000 packs of Adrenalyn Cards and Game Boards to Hall of Fame visitors
• Appearances by Basketball Hall of Famer, Sam Jones and Boston Basketball Legends, Satch Sanders and Jo Jo White playing kids in games of Adrenalyn and coaching kids in basketball skills activities
• Participants will also be able to play the Adrenalyn Game online through Adrenalyn Kiosks
• Special Virtual Adrenalyn Cards of NBA Legends, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Larry Bird, Clyde Drexler, Magic Johnson and Scottie Pippen that can only be uploaded from the Basketball Hall of Fame
• Youth basketball games throughout the weekend

"The Basketball Hall of Fame is pleased to welcome Panini America and the Adrenalyn Tour to Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. "The weekend of March 13-14 will be a terrific time to visit the Basketball Hall of Fame as the Adrenalyn Tour makes its only stop in New England. I'd like to thank Panini America for its very active role as a new, multi-year marketing partner of the Basketball Hall of Fame and we look forward to an exciting weekend of basketball activities."

The Basketball Hall of Fame is one of the stops on the Panini Adrenalyn Tour, a 13-city tour that includes a Tour Bus featuring images of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Kobe Bryant, Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings and Dirk Nowitzki.

“We are excited to present the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame with the World’s Largest Signed Game-Used Jersey Card to be put on display and we look forward to a great weekend of basketball festivities,” said Scott Prusha, Marketing Manager for Panini America.

Adrenalyn is an interactive trading card game, geared to children ages 6 to 11, that brings together the excitement of the NBA with the thrill of collecting a 450-card set featuring NBA stars Carmelo Anthony, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Dwyane Wade, among many others. 

The front of each Adrenalyn card features an offensive, defensive, and overall rating so kids can play the game using the Adrenalyn game board. The unique authorization code on the back of each card allows kids to upload their cards online to a virtual collector’s album and play the game at www.paniniadrenalyn.com, a safe and secure site. Adrenalyn cards, collector’s kits and starter sets are available at all major retail stores including Wal-Mart, Target, Toys “R” Us, Kmart, The Dollar Store and Miami Hoops Gear, and online at NBAStore.com and at the NBA Store in New York City.

Panini will distribute four million Adrenalyn trading card packs and 2.5 million game boards to introduce the interactive game to kids across the country throughout the remainder of the NBA season.  Distribution will take place through a multifaceted program that includes newspaper insert activations, Adrenalyn Nights at NBA games and a multi-city Adrenalyn Tour that will visit retail locations, high-traffic areas, NBA arenas and youth sports organizations.  An integrated advertising campaign geared toward kids, which will include TV, print, radio, online and viral campaigns featuring NBA All-Star Kobe Bryant, will support the Adrenalyn product.

To learn more about the Adrenalyn Tour and event stops, watch videos, and view photos from each tour stop, visit www.paniniadrenalyn.com or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/NBAAdrenalyn.

About Panini 

The Panini Group, established almost 50 years ago in Modena, Italy has subsidiaries throughout Europe, Latin America and the United States.  Panini is the world leader in officially licensed collectables and is the leading multi-national publisher of comics, children’s magazines and Manga in Europe and Latin America. Panini has distribution channels in more than 100 countries and employs a staff of over 800. For more information visit us at www.paniniamerica.net or www.paninigroup.com.

Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Bob Cousy Award Final Six

Winner Announced April 1, Presentation at Final Four 

SPRINGFIELD, MASS. - The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame today announced the final six candidates in consideration for the 2010 Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.  This annual award is given to college basketball’s top point guard and is named after Hall of Famer and former Boston Celtics guard Bob Cousy.  An original list of 73 candidates made up of players from Division I, II and III schools was trimmed by a Hall of Fame appointed, nationally based committee to 20, down to 11 and now six candidates remain in consideration for one of college basketball’s most prestigious awards.

“These final six players have truly separated themselves from the rest of the pack in college basketball,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame.  “Our committee has worked hard to narrow the field down and we look forward to recognizing a winner that represents Bob Cousy’s passion and skill for the game.” 

“We are so proud at The Hartford to play a part in this important program and offer congratulations to the six finalists,” said Kevin Connor, executive vice president and director of Hartford Life Distributors.  “To make it to the final six in what is already a highly qualified slate of candidates is an extraordinary achievement.” 

Each of the final six candidates will be reviewed by the Hall of Fame’s Blue Ribbon Selection Committee, chaired by former NABC President and Hall of Fame Trustee Ken Kaufman. The Blue Ribbon Selection Committee is made up of top college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, Sports Information Directors and Hall of Famers.  The winner of the 2010 Bob Cousy Award presented by The Hartford will be announced on April 1 with the award presentation coming at the Final Four on Monday April 5 as part of the Bob Cousy Award Breakfast and Basketball Hall of Fame Class Announcement.   
 

2010 Bob Cousy Award Final Six 

Sherron Collins - Kansas

Scottie Reynolds - Villanova

Jon Scheyer - Duke

Evan Turner – Ohio State

Greivis Vasquez - Maryland

John Wall - Kentucky 

About The Hartford: 

Celebrating nearly 200 years, The Hartford (NYSE: HIG) is an insurance-based financial services company that serves households, businesses and employees by helping to protect their assets and income from risks, and by managing wealth and retirement needs. A Fortune 500 company, The Hartford is recognized widely for its service expertise and as one of the world’s most ethical companies. More information on the company and its financial performance is available at www.thehartford.com. 

Basketball Hall of Fame Names Ken Kaufman Chair of Bob Cousy Award Committee

SPRINGFIELD, MA. - The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today that Ken Kaufman has been named Chair of the Bob Cousy Award Committee.  Kaufman, former head coach at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and former president of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), will serve as the primary consultant to the Hall of Fame in regard to the annual award that recognizes college basketball's top point guard. Kaufman is a longtime friend and associate of Cousy and helped establish the prestigious award in 2004.

The Bob Cousy Award, presented by The Hartford Financial Services Group, will be awarded on April 5, as part of the Hall of Fame's press conference at the NCAA Final Four.

"From the very beginning when he assisted us with the creation of the award with Bob Cousy and our colleagues at The Hartford, Ken Kaufman has been a driving force behind the program and its core values of recognizing the best point guard in collegiate basketball," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. "On behalf of everyone at the Hall of Fame, I'd like to thank Ken for taking on this expanded role and 'playing the point' for the Hall as we prepare to recognize the winner of the 2010 Bob Cousy Award, presented by The Hartford."

Kaufman, a native of Worcester, graduated from Classical High School where he captained the basketball team and was named All-City as a junior and senior.  He is a graduate of Leicester Junior College where he was named Student Athlete of the Year in 1965. Kaufman received his bachelor's degree from the University of Bridgeport where he captained the 1965-66 men’s basketball team. He later taught physical education in the Worcester Public Schools as he earned his master's degree in education at Worcester State College. During that time, he worked on a part-time basis at WPI and began his career in coaching as an assistant to the men's varsity and junior varsity teams. In 1975, Kaufman was named acting men's varsity coach at WPI where he would become the school's all-time leader in coaching victories before he stepped down in 2001 after 26 seasons as head basketball coach and a total of 32 years of coaching experience. He was elected to the WPI Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005. Kaufman later served as president of the NABC and also served as a board member for both the NABC and the Basketball Hall of Fame. Kaufman is currently working as the special assistant to the President at Becker College in Worcester.

Hall of Fame To Feature Exclusive Screening of Magic & Bird: A Courtship Of Rivals

The HBO Sports® documentary Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals, will debut Saturday, March 6 (8-9:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.

Please join us at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday, March 5 at 2:00PM and Saturday, March 6 at 11:00AM to be among the first to see this groundbreaking film that details the upbringing, origins, behind-the-scenes stories and the ultimate respect and friendship of basketball’s fiercest rivals, Hall of Famers, Larry Bird and Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

From the award winning HBO Sports’ documentary group, Liev Schreiber narrates the history of the competition between Los Angeles Lakers immortal “Magic” Johnson and Boston Celtics great Larry Bird, which began 30 years ago when they led their Midwest universities to the 1979 NCAA Championship game, through a decade of dominance, when each player won three NBA MVP awards apiece and a combined eight NBA championships.  This HBO exclusive presentation also examines the different cultures that helped shape them and contributed to their unique styles, as well as exploring their unlikely friendship.

Free to view with admission to the museum, visitors will be treated to preview screenings before the premiere on HBO.  Screenings will be held on Friday, March 5 at 2PM & Saturday, March 6 at 11AM.

Though sharing Midwestern roots and following the same team-oriented philosophy, the introverted Bird (from the small town of French Lick, Ind.) and the extroverted Johnson (from the industrial state capital Lansing, Mich.) couldn’t be more different in personality.  The two superstars talk about each other at length in the film and provide intimate insights into their remarkable lives.

The film debuts on HBO on Saturday, March 6 at 8PM and also features interviews with Hall of Famers Kevin McHale and Pat Riley, who coached Johnson on the great Lakers team of the 1980s; teammates Cedric Maxwell and Michael Cooper; George Fox, Johnson’s high school coach; siblings Evelyn Johnson and Mark Bird; entertainer Arsenio Hall; former CBS Sports executive Ted Shaker; and sports journalists Bryant Gumbel, Jackie MacMullan, Charles Pierce and Steve Springer.

HBO Sports’ documentary group has earned 28 Sports Emmy Awards and seven Peabody Awards for production excellence.

Don’t miss the opportunity to preview this historic film at the Hall of Fame!

The Hall of Fame is open daily from 10am – 4pm on Sunday – Friday and until 5pm on Saturday. Regular adult admission is $16.99 and $11.99 for ages 5-15.  Under 5 years is FREE.  Senior Citizens can enjoy a discount admission of $13.99.  Annual Pass is $39.99.  Parking is FREE.  For information on groups of 15 or more or multi-day tickets go to www.hoophall.com or call 877-4HOOPLA.  Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate, international, men and women.