Basketball ticket sales fund cancer research
BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer

NORTH BRUNSWICK - The high school basketball team raised $1,185 in honor of a college coach who passed away from cancer.

On Jan. 8, ticket sales from the North Brunswick vs. New Brunswick boys basketball game were put toward the second annual New Jersey Tip-OffAgainst Cancer Program, which supports the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The organization is named in memory of Jim Valvano, a Rutgers University graduate, coach at North Carolina State University and commentator who passed away in 1993.

About 700 spectators were in the crowd to cheer on the crosstown rivals.

"The athletic directors throughout the Greater Middlesex Conference and the state of New Jersey are working together to help make his dream come true by making a significant donation to benefit cancer research through the V Foundation. We thank all the patrons at our New Brunswick game that generated the proceeds," said Aaron Speller, the athletic director for the North Brunswick Township High School.

This was the second year the Greater Middlesex Conference participated. Last year, four state conferences raised over $20,000.

"I think that raising the awareness of chronic diseases, especially cancer, is important to our community. I don't think there are very many people in the United States, or North Brunswick for that matter, that don't know of someone this disease has attacked. It is also paramount as educators to involve scholar athletes because it allows them to realize they can make a difference and possibly change the world through their participation in high school sports. As a conference and a state I think that this is a valiant undertaking and look forward to being involved next year with the Tip-Off Against Cancer program," Speller said.