By Mary Ellen Zangara, Special Writer
An ad hoc basketball team of local educators and parents got schooled Friday night at Manville High School as Manville’s Slammin’ Slangs took on the Harlem Wizards.
The game was a community event that pitted the Manville staff and community against six members of the entertaining Wizards team. The event sponsored by the Manville PTAs and the Manville Municipal Alliance drew a sold-out crowd of about 500 to the Manville High School gym.
The 18-member team took turns playing the four quarters of the game, giving it their best efforts. In the end, the Wizards won 109-85, thanks to contributions from players like former Globetrotter Swoops Simpson, ex-WBA player Kenyon Jones (“The Gift”), former North Carolina State standout Donnie Seale (“Dazzle”), Luiz Da Silva Jr. ( billed as “The World’s Greatest freestyle b-ball trickster” and frequently featured in Nike ads), and former Minnesota Timberwolves player Gordon Malone (“G-Wiz”).
The Slammin’ Stangs were coached by Jen Pisano and included Don Frank, Paul Gallagher, Carl Ruffer, Jennifer Dietrich, Michael Magliacano, Greg Shannon, April Stone-Fisher, Angele Palmer, Dan Sferrazza, Erin Delaney, Karen Lane-Nerod, Dan McMahon, Richard Reilly, Joe Lukac, Stephanie Cornelson, Kelly Harabin, Kim Ritcher and Lisa Polkowski.
Stephanie Cornelson, who helped organize the event, said the game was intended to bring the schools and the community closer together. It was not a fundraiser, as the event was costly.
”It was just awesome to look around and see the parents and kids laughing together and having a good time,” she said. After the game, the players signed autographs and posed for photos with fans.
Parent Renee Hambrick and her family enjoyed the game, and the Wizards’ fun and entertaining routines. “It was very good we enjoyed it and lots of fun,” she said.
”They put on quite a great show and we had a good time playing,” said Weston third-grade teacher Paul Gallagher.

