This article originally appeared April 23, 2009 on nj.com.
The North Ward Center's Small Fry basketball team returned from an international tournament as victors, winning three out of five games in tough competition against teams from Puerto Rico and Chicago.
The 13-member team competed in the International Small Fry Basketball Tournament held April 13-16 at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. The team finished in 11th place out of 32 teams from Puerto Rico, New Jersey, Illinois, and Wisconsin.
Rashard Casey, the director of youth development for the North Ward Center, said the trip was a success for the children.
"All the kids were well behaved both on and off the court," Casey said. "They exhibited a great deal of sportsmanship. The coaches and I were so proud of all of them."
The team won their first game against Juncos, Puerto Rico 48-43 in overtime, but dropped their second 56-32 to Guaynabo, another team from Puerto Rico. The team won their third game to Glenbrook, a team from Chicago, 53-48 in double overtime. They lost their fourth to Fraigcomar, Puerto Rico 42-33. They won their final game 45-39 against Robert Taylor, another team from the Windy City.
The North Ward Center's team is comprised of the best players from the Small Fry League, which had 12 teams this year. The league runs from January through March. At the end of the season, an All-Star Team is selected to compete in the State and the International Small Fry Tournament.
"Our focus for the coming year is to get them to play more games together as a team," Casey said. "Our players were on the same level as players from the other teams -- we've got the talent. But they don't play together enough as a team. Some teams in the tournament have been playing together all season."
Adrianne Davis, the executive director of the North Ward Center, said the trip was a great experience for the youngsters.
"For many of these children, this is their first time outside of the city," Davis said. "They may have gone to Florida to win a trophy, but they came back with so much more. Their horizons have been expanded. Now they know there is a bigger world out there and if they work hard at whatever they do, they can be successful."
The trip to Florida was almost cancelled this year, until a group of businessmen from Somerset County got involved.
The Watchung Hills Youth Benevolent Association made a generous contribution toward the trip after learning that the team did not have enough money to pay for travel expenses.
"After seeing what the North Ward Center does for its youth, we felt it was a perfect fit for our organization," said Joe Marino, president of the Watchung Hills Youth Benevolent Association, which was founded in 2001. "Other than helping individual families, developing kids for sports activities is what we're all about, especially in urban areas."
The North Ward Center holds the Small Fry record for the number of consecutive appearances at the tournament. Raheem Morris, who was named coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier this year, played on the North Ward Center's Small Fry team that went to Tampa in 1989.
Boys and girls who participate in the Small Fry league must be 12 years of age or younger by September 1st, and must measure less than five feet one inch tall before the season starts.
This year's team was coached by F. Laron Ross, Thomas "Ali" Brunson and Jamar "Jay" Cherry.
