Monday, February 9, 2009

Republican-American: A Wonderful Chance to Relive History

WATERBURY -- Phil Lott had coached his Wallace Middle School girls basketball team to a 34-26 victory over West Side Middle School, and yet, he was jealous as all get out. Here is a guy who is the all-time leading scorer in the Naugatuck Valley League, a former Division I basketball star at the University of Hawaii, and as he looked around him, he realized this was something he missed.

“I never played here,” said Lott, as he stood in the Waterbury Armory. “I would have loved to play here. I can imagine it filled with 2,000 people. I would have loved this.”

This past weekend, every basketball player from Waterbury’s three middle schools got themselves a piece of Waterbury basketball history that even Mr. Lott didn’t have. More than 200 fans watched six basketball games at the Armory in the preliminary rounds of the first Waterbury Middle School Jamboree Saturday, and then 150 more came back Sunday for the boys and girls finals.

Joe Gorman, the director of physical education for the city, said that some fans wanted to soak up the memories from the city’s golden age of basketball.

“There were guys here who said they hadn’t been inside this building since they played here,” said Gorman, “and some just wanted to come in to see a game again like they did when they were kids.”

Sunday, the Wallace girls were led by Ndidi Nolisa’s 12 points, and 11 from Kendra Cooper. Mikyla Jacobs led West Side with 11. The boy’s game followed, with Wallace winning its 44th straight, topping North End, 64-49. Gabe Pulliman scored a game-high 21 for Wallace, and Jerome Love added 12. For North End, Walter Wright added 18.

When asked if his players knew about the Armory’s history, Wallace coach Joe Bandurski Jr. said, “Absolutely not.

See ARMORY, Page 5C

They didn’t even know where the Armory was.”

Lott would prefer to see the event moved to the end of the season, so that his team will have had a full-season of coaching before they played in a showcase. Bandurski would like to see it at the beginning of the season, played in a traditional jamboree format. However, it evolves, both agree that the middle school jamboree “is fabulous,” added Bandurski. “These kids have never played in anything like this before. They loved it.”

The operation was first rate, with Dale Bodyk, the Crosby High p.a. announcer, working all the games. Nonnewaug High athletic director James Parker donated the use of a clock and scoreboard for the games. Middle school athletic director Dave Sylvester recruited Crosby teachers Mike Sullivan, Mike Verroneau and Bert Chabot to work the clock and keep the book, while The Voice of Holy Cross basketball in The Pit, Lou Paternostro, pitched in on all tasks.

“This was a great experience playing here,” said Walter Wright of North End, who said he had no idea that the building was once the home for high school basketball.

“It made me feel as if I was being looked at by a lot of scouts,” added Jerome Love of Wallace, certainly not referring to any possible high school recruiting.

Wallace’s Trekel Douglas was not going to miss this opportunity, so he climbed out of a sick bed to play, “For the love of the game,” he said.

Pulliman, also from Wallace, put it best when he said that he enjoyed playing this weekend against kids from the neighborhood, kids he plays AAU basketball and football with, but on a different stage.

“I feel like I got to be part of basketball history in Waterbury today,” added Pulliman.

It is a shorter chapter than those written in the past, but perhaps there are chapters still unwritten at the grand old Armory.

(Click here to read the story on the Rep-Am website and to see the photos that accompany this story.)

Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Wallace Middle School Students Perform"Disney's Jungle Book for Kids"




(WATEBURY, CONN. - February 3, 2009) -  Some of the cast of Wallace Middle School's production of "Disney's Jungle Book for Kids" pause for a photo during a rehearsal. The cast of 25 students performed "Jungle Book" under the direction of theater arts teacher Susan Smyth at 7 p.m. in the Crosby High School Auditorium on January 31.

Photo 1: Front row (left to right): Kyle Buzimkich, Aleah Gambino, Brianna Cavallo, Anna Nicole Doucette, Danielle Minicucci
Back row (left to right): Brittany Maggi, Tasaya Northover, Javen Harris, Jeray Cabbagestalk, Jordan Ward

Photo 2: Back row (left to right): Fangie Celestin, Alana Amao
Front (left to right): Bria Brown and Alexandra Taveras

Photo 3: Teacher Tiffany Bacote makes up Aleah Gambino as a wolf.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Wallace's Jerome Love Named Youth of the Year

The Boys and Girls Clubs of America named Jerome Love Youth of the Year for his outstanding character and leadership qualities. He is 15 and attends Wallace Middle School, where is a scholar and an athlete. Jerome is captain of the boys basketball team and honor student as well. He spends time volunteering at the Boys & Girls Club and conducts himself as a role model for the younger members. (Click here to read the story.)