Local teams unite for good cause at 14th Hoops for Hope

Philadelphia >> A dozen high school girls’ basketball teams – 10 local squads and two from New York – came together at the University of the Sciences Jan. 12 for a good cause in the 14th annual Hoops for Hope Classic.
The day-long event is staged to showcase some of the premier programs in the area while helping to raise money for The Cure Starts Now Foundation.
This campaign brought together both current and past families that have been directly impacted by DIPG to unite under a single cause: to raise funds for pediatric brain cancer research – determined to make sure no other family would have to face the same diagnosis.
One person affected by this disease was Lauren Hill, whose dream was play in a college basketball game for her school – Mount St. Joseph’s University. Hill was able to achieve that dream before eventually succumbing to this horrible disease.
“It’s a great experience to be part of an event like this,” said Radnor senior Ellie Mueller. “It’s all about seeing everyone work towards the same goal.”
Episcopal Academy freshman Gaeli Keffer-Scharpf added, “It’s great seeing everyone come together to do something we all love doing and seeing other people benefit.”
The day-long event started with EA holding off a pesky Radnor squad, and was capped off with Friends’ Central coming from behind to fend off Haverford High.
Sandwiched in between the opener and the nightcap featured some close games with Mount St. Joseph’s defeating Archbishop Ryan, Villa Maria holding off Monsignor Scanlan (N.Y.), St. Basil’s handling St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) and Penn Charter pulling the slight upset over Archbishop Wood.
Started in 2007, Hoops for Hope has been played at Cabrini University and Lower Merion High School before finding its current home at University of Sciences. Through the years, the event brought together some of the top programs in the area to unite under a single cause and to help raise funds for pediatric brain cancer research.
Haverford High School girls’ basketball head coach Lauren Pellicane, who put the event together, said, “We are very thankful to our co-host – the University of Sciences women’s basketball program – as well as the handful of volunteers, including all referees, for their time and energy in making a tournament of this magnitude a success.”