The Harlem Wizards fundraising team is full of tricks, hoops and alley oops. On Thursday, October 8, the Harlem Wizards basketball team came to the new LHS Fieldhouse and played against the Liberty Underdogs team. The Liberty Underdogs consisted of LPS administrators and the mayor of Liberty.

   Lillian Schumacher elementary school hosted and put together the Harlem Wizards fundraiser game.

   “Our PTA was looking for an alternative to a traditional fundraiser. They didn’t want to encourage students to go door to door and sell things like cookies or magazines, they approached me about the idea of hosting the Harlem Wizards,” Lillian Schumacher principal Chris Gabriel said. “This will hopefully be a fun community event that will also financially support our PTA and allow them to provide the amazing experiences that they always do for our students.”

   The Harlem Wizards team teaches awareness to elementary students and hosts a basketball game after the awareness presentations.

   “Basically the Harlem Wizards will travel to multiple elementary schools on that day, during the day and will do 45-minute to an hour presentations on anti-bulling, anti-drug and anti-tobacco, things that kids need to hear,” coach Noah Simpson said. “Then it ends with a big fun game that night. It’s a big fundraiser, but its awareness for kids to treat each other the right way.”

   LHS head varsity men’s basketball coach Roger Stirtz explains what he expected when it came to the game.

   “Honestly, I have no idea what to expect,” he said. “It’s for students in our district to have extra opportunities to enhance their educational experience, so it’s a positive thing.”

   This is what Precious Black looked forward to about the game.

   “I’d probably look forward to the game because seeing my fellow teachers and actual basketball team playing would be good,” she said.

   The difference between the Harlem Globetrotters and the Harlem Wizards is the Harlem Wizards are a fundraising team, although the Harlem Wizards and Harlem Globetrotters are similar in playing style.

   “It’s pretty cool actually.  They kind of just mess around and they play, but they try and get the fans involved, its good for teenagers and kids they like it,” senior Mason Stirtz said.

   Lillian Schumacher’s PTA hoped for a big crowd turnout for the fundraiser game.

   “We would love to pack the house, but are expecting something around 300 people.  The field house holds 1800 people, so there are plenty of places for people,” Lillian Schumacher PTA President David Sparks said.

   There was one event like the Harlem Wizards basketball fundraiser in the past.

   “We did one for the telethon a few years back, where we had the state championship team of 1998 come back and play the channel 18 all stars, lead by Dallas Ackerman,” Men’s basketball coach Roger Stirtz said.

   Coach Simpson had no doubt the Harlem Wizards would win against the Liberty Underdogs, in a fun manner.

   “The Harlem Wizards actually have a couple guys on their squad that are former Harlem Globetrotters and then they have some guys that have played division one college basketball,” Simpson said. “There is no doubt in my mind, that if they want to beat us by 50 or 60, they probably easily could.”

   Principal Gabriel hoped for a positive turnout to the fundraiser.

   “I am hopeful that this will be a success, and allow our PTA to support field trips and cultural arts activities at school,” he said. “It would be wonderful for our families, if PTA didn’t have to come back to them with another fundraiser to fund the typical events they support.”