On Monday Feb. 12, the Pascack Valley boys and girls basketball teams will play Pascack Hills and Paramus Catholic respectively in the Kenny Harrison Benefit Games at Pascack Valley
The girls and boys basketball programs have supported many foundations and causes near and dear to PV’s storied past. Whether it is the annual Zack Latteri Benefit Games or the Joe Poli Classic, basketball at PV is a way to support the ones that came before.
In Girls Basketball Coach Jeff Jasper’s mind, the Kenny Harrison Benefit Games represent this same message: honoring former basketball community members.
Coach Kenny Harrison coached alongside Jasper as a volunteer assistant for 40 years, not getting paid a single penny, according to Jasper.
“In 2019, [Harrison] lost his battle to cancer, and his wish was to be buried in a basketball sneakers and a Pascack Valley basketball t-shirt,” Jasper said.
Harrison’s family wanted to set up a scholarship given to a girls basketball player and a boys basketball player each and every year.
“Initially, it was private donations [from] friends and family of Kenny who funded the initial scholarship,” Jasper said. “Now, we have had a number of games, and the money made from these two games goes to the scholarship fund.”
Jasper said everything done for these games is done “in the memory of Kenny,” and even keeps a spot open in his honor beside him on the bench every game.
“He was both a phenomenal friend and among my ‘besties,’” Jasper said. “[He was] such a good man.”
The girls basketball team will take on Paramus Catholic in the benefit games, looking to build a strong base heading into the state playoffs. The team is led by juniors Ava Burke and Celina Bussanich, complimented by freshmen standouts Raina Gibbs and Emma Costello.
On the boys side, the squad will take on rival Pascack Hills. Valley is looking to add another win against the Broncos, looking to have a two-game winning streak in this famous rivalry. The boys are headlined by juniors Devin Merker and Trevor Kirkby, with senior Shane Buoye adding some firepower to the squad.
The girls will play at 4:15 and the boys will play at 6:00pm. Both teams look to add to their state tournament resume and honor Harrison and the message he stood by.
