Hoopsters Take Aim to Benefit Children

BY JOE NADILO Daily Record - Friday, June 9, 2000

MORRISTOWN - Warm sunshine and a chance to catch up with some old friends provided the perfect backdrop yesterday for the second annual Heaven's Playground Basketball Tournament, as more than 100 teens converged on a backyard court for some heated competition and a lot of laughs.

It's great, everyone came back this year," said Justin Kiczek, who hosted the three-on-three tournament in the backyard of his parent's home on Mountainside Drive. You get to see everyone you haven't seen all year. This is something I think we can really grow. We're already thinking about what we're going to do next year."

Kiczek's multilevel backyard offered lawn-chair-sitting spectators an ideal view of the court, while the teams squared off on the blacktop below, sticking jumpers, putting up points in the paint and jockeying for position down low.

"There's a lot of talent here this year. We've got a lot of players who played high school varsity basketball," said Michael Cherello, 19, who helped arrange the 16 teams entered in the tournament.

This year's event was held to benefit the Tomorrow Children's Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides financial support for young children who suffer from cancer and life-threatening blood disorders.

Kiczek had about 125 Heaven's Playground T-shirts made up for the tournament that were sold for $12 each. The proceeds went to the charity. There also was a donation bottle near the right side of the court.

The idea for the annual competition was spawned last year, when Kiczek and a group of friends came together to celebrate their graduation from Seton Hall Preparatory High School in West Orange.

But what began as a simple impromptu party ended as a major event, with nearly 80 friends showing up to participate in what soon became a legitimate basketball tournament and a major social gathering.

When the party ended, visions of making the tournament even bigger this year danced through Kiczek's head, as planning for Heaven's Play Ground 2000 began almost immediately.

The planning continued throughout Kiczek's freshman year at Holy Cross College, Worcester, Mass., and culminated early this spring with a Heaven's Playground website, where kids from throughout northern New Jersey could sign 4 to play. Kiczek's sister, Alison helped create the Web site.

The tournament was split into three rounds, with the final two winning teams squaring off in a championship game. The first team to 21 took home the winning trophy. There also were trophies for second and third place and an award for most valuable player. "I wanted to play last year and I didn't get in. This year they let me play and it's been great," said 18-year-old Katie Johnsen, the tournament's only female participant. Johnsen played varsity hoops for Oak Knoll School in Summit list year. She just finished her freshman year at Holy Cross College. "This is like a huge reunion of friends," said co-organizer 18-yrear-old Greg Walsh.

JOE NADILO can be reached at (973) 267-1142 or jnadilo@morristo.gannett.com.