All proceeds from the Greater Middlesex Conference Basketball Coaches Association’s 26th annual Senior All-Star Doubleheader will benefit The Marisa Tufaro Foundation.
The girls and boys all-star games, featuring the league’s top high school upperclassmen, will be contested Wednesday at Middlesex County College, which is donating its facilities and whose staff, including men’s basketball coach Dave Turco, who recently led his team to the National Junior College Athletic Association Tournament, is volunteering to help run the event.
A complete list of all-star participants for both games can be found at the conclusion of this article. Numerical rosters will be distributed at the doubleheader. Players for each team have yet to be determined.
The girls game tips off at 6 p.m. The boys game commences at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for students and senior citizens.
Free commemorative Marisa Tufaro Foundation wristbands and an open letter of thanks from the tax-exempt nonprofit to the community will be distributed at the gate.
Members of the GMCBCA serving as scoreboard and clock operators and officials working the game, through assignor Ray Perone, are also volunteering their time and expertise, as is Woodbridge High School certified athletics trainer Makenzie Atherton.
Leisure Sporting Goods, located on 685 Route 27 in the Iselin section of Woodbridge, and NJ Smiles Dental, located at 1170 St. George Ave. in the Avenel section of Woodbridge, will donate the game shirts for all of the all-star participants.
This is the third consecutive year that the GMCBCA has adopted The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, which assists pediatric patients and other children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area, as the all-star doubleheader’s beneficiary.
Through the generosity of the GMCBCA and others, who have donated or participated in fundraising events, The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, which was established less than two years ago, already has made a profound impact, donating more than $65,000.
The Marisa Tufaro Foundation has assisted children affiliated with Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital, Saint Peter’s University Children’s Hospital, Kiddie Keep Well Camp, the Lakeview School, Special Strides Therapeutic Riding Center, Hands of Hope Food Pantry, FISH Hospitality Program, the Ronald McDonald House of Central Jersey, Project Walk, PSE&G Children’s Specialized Hospital and elsewhere.
The nonprofit annually awards college scholarships to exceptional high school students who advance the nonprofit’s mission through the Marisa Tufaro Foundation GMC Scholar-Athlete scholarship and the Marisa Tufaro Memorial Community Service scholarship. All seniors who are eligible to apply must do so before April 30.
The foundation also has spearheaded multiple community initiatives, resulting in the collection of thousands of toys, winter coats, baby supplies, nonperishable food and other items for donation.
Earlier this year, the crosstown rival Edison and J.P. Stevens girls basketball teams united to collect baby care items prior to their second meeting of the season for The Marisa Tufaro Foundation to donate to the Ozanam Family Shelter, which provides single women and their children temporary and emergency lodging, meals, physical and mental health assessments, crisis counseling, assistance with housing, employment and children’s educational placement, case management and referrals.
Born with a complex cardiac defect that required six open-heart surgeries, Marisa, despite being hospitalized for more than two years and maintaining hundreds of doctor’s appointments, lived a vibrant life that inspired.
After her sixth surgery, Marisa developed two life-threatening conditions that necessitated a heart transplant. The transplant was supposed to extend Marisa’s life, but tragically cut it short when a postoperative complication developed into a rare form of Stage IV cancer. Radiation and chemotherapy treatments failed to thwart the relentless onslaught of the aggressive disease, which riddled Marisa’s brain and body. Marisa succumbed to her illness following a valiant battle on Jan. 30, 2017. She was just 13 years old. Marisa would have been a sophomore at Edison High School this year.
Marisa’s father, Greg, is a sports writer for the Home News Tribune. Her mother, Cyndi, is a longtime Edison Township Public Schools educator.
BOYS ALL-STARS
(LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)
Hiram Ayala Cibrian, Calvary Christian
Chad Baker, Colonia
Tyree Barba-Bey, Piscataway
Julius Belton, Old Bridge
Yire Belliard, Perth Amboy Tech
Marquise Billingsley, Bishop Ahr
Jonathan Bragg, J.F. Kennedy
Alquan Brown, New Brunswick
Naysean Burch, J.P. Stevens
Antonio Chandler, Piscataway
Travis Cumber, East Brunswick
Josh Daniels, Monroe
John Dickey, Middlesex
Luke Fresco, St. Joseph
Kyle Gasiewski, South Amboy
Romelo Haskins, Highland Park
Jaelen Hymes, Woodbridge
Thomas Johnson, Edison
Mike Kides, Monroe
Ethan Lebovitz, Metuchen
Jaijuan Macklin, Sayreville
Jared Mayer, Old Bridge
Jhalil Nix, Carteret
Ryan Patela, Wardlaw-Hartridge
Sergio Rodriguez, Piscataway Tech
Salomon Smith, J.P. Stevens
Dondre Tate, South Plainfield
Matt Vento, Spotswood
Delano Whitfield, North Brunswick
Noah Wenzel, Dunellen
Derrick Whitaker, South River
Coaches: Chris Garcia (J.P. Stevens), Jim Macomber (Old Bridge), Jose Rodriguez (Colonia), Bobby Turco (Bishop Ahr), Jeff Warner (Monroe).
GIRLS ALL-STARS
(LISTED ALPHABETICALLY)
Daisy Arocho, Perth Amboy Tech
Alyssa Bondi, East Brunswick
Grace Canavesio, Middlesex
Cristina Crowe, Perth Amboy Tech
Lyssandra Delacosta, Sayreville
Gina deLutio, Bishop Ahr
Kayla Gaitling, J.P. Stevens
Tamira Gibbs, Woodbridge
Mani Hollins, Piscataway Tech
Tamera Hutchinson, Woodbridge Academy
Zaniera James, Perth Amboy
Lindsey Kuhlthau, East Brunswick Tech
Nakima Lue, New Brunswick
Morgan Maguire, Bishop Ahr
Daniella Marmol, Edison
Amber Meagher, Spotswood
Saniya Myers, Piscataway
Bridget O’Connor, Metuchen
Julie Olivieri, South Amboy
Tazia Pettus, J.F. Kennedy
Amazey Pope Williams, Carteret
Disha Prabhudesai, J.P. Stevens
Gianna Reilly, Colonia
Olivia Robel, Middlesex
Samira Sargent, Edison
Kayla Scher, North Brunswick
Emily Siciliano, Monroe
Aiya Underwood, Highland Park
Abby Zimmerlink, Old Bridge
Coaches: Britanny Griffin (Bishop Ahr), Amy Field (J.P. Stevens), Kevin Harper (Middlesex), Miriam Hartzler (Timothy Christian).