By Jonah Bronstein Niagara Gazette The Niagara Gazette Thu Aug 25, 2011, 04:29 PM EDT
NIAGARA FALLS — Two years ago, leaders of the Luv4self and P.E.A.C.E. organizations were motivated to reprise the basketball rivalry LaSalle and Niagara Falls High Schools, which had been dormant for a decade. They hoped to have alumni wear their old Explorer and Power Cat uniforms, and play in front of a packed gymnasium at the new Niagara Falls High School.
They pulled off the game. Several of the Cataract City’s hardwood heroes from the ‘80s and ‘90s participated in the Labor Day All-Star Classic Reunion Weekend at Niagara University. The event continued last summer at Niagara County Community College.
At the Wolvearena on Saturday, the third and final rivalry revival will finally fulfill the vision that got things started.
“We’ve reached our goal,” said Keith Muhammad, co-founder of Luv4Self. “We had to go through a lot of red tape and work at it, but this year it’s going to play out how we want it to. If you strive for something, you can get it done. We had a tight little crew that wanted to make it happen but we learned we needed to expand and get help from others.”
Muhammad said several community members and organizations have lent their support, but cited the City Council of Niagara Falls and Eric Fields, resource supervisor at the Doris Jones Family Resource Building, as this year’s lead sponsors.
NFHS graduate Demondi Johnson has participated in the event the last two years and is happy to see that Saturday’s game will take place within the city limits.
“Bringing the game closer to everyone so they can have a chance to attend is important,” Johnson said. “Kids in the inner-city, or Jordan Gardens, they aren’t going to get out to NCCC for the game. Having it at the high school will give the younger guys a chance to see the guys that came before them. And it will have a bigger rivalry feeling.”
LaSalle affirmed its traditional dominance in the rivalry by winning the first year, but Niagara Falls pulled out an overtime victory last year, relying on the same core of players (Robert Harris, Jeff Street, Johnson) that led the PowerCats to victory in the final two games before the schools closed in 2000.
“It brought back memories,” Johnson said. “It was refreshing, it was good fellowship for everybody, and on the court, it was very competitive.”
Muhammad said this is the last year that LaSalle and NFHS alumni will play each other. The plan for next year is to have Niagara Falls take on Buffalo.
Doors open at 2 p.m. Saturday and youth games will start at 3. The featured game is scheduled to tip off at 5. For ticket information, contact Muhammad at 201-9670 or kmuhammad@luv4self.org.
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