In commemoration and remembrance of Black History Month, the Newburgh Zion Lions and Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Inc. joined together to host a youth basketball tournament in the City of Newburgh at St. Mary’s on Saturday, February 18. Over 50 elementary to middle school youth from Newburgh participated in this community tournament.

In order to participate in the tournament itself, a draft was held on Friday to determine which teams and coaches they would be playing for prior to Saturday morning. Tournament play began at around 9 a.m. and featured several games played over the course of the morning to determine the standings of each of the teams. Trophies were distributed to the first place and second place winners as well as the most valuable player.

The tournament, sponsored by the The Newburgh Zion Lions, led by Coach Harold Rayford and the Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Inc., was a first-time collaboration between the two groups. Groove Phi Groove was first founded in October 1962 at Morgan State College, today known as Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. The purpose of Groove Phi Groove was to promote and nurture unity, address social issues and promote academic awareness amongst all.

Several fellowmen, Tony Harris, President Terence Henderson, Dino Young, Michael Ross and Terence Perkins, were in attendance for the tournament, talking with community members and enjoying the games as they went about the morning.

“I’m very happy about it. This is our first [tournament] at this particular location. And we’re looking forward to having many, many more tournaments, coming out and helping the community,” said Ross.

“Harold [Rayford] and the Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Inc. is going to have a deep relationship from this day on,” said Perkins. “I noticed that he [Rayford] had a lot of influence in the City of Newburgh. Not only that, he brought a lot of beneficial programs to Newburgh.”

While the Pan-African Flag flown on February 1 in the City of Newburgh commemorated the beginning of the month-long celebration, that day was also one of remembrance of the life of Tyre Nichols of Memphis, Tennessee who was killed by police officers.

Through a difficult start to the month, several of the fellowmen reflected on the events that occurred in Memphis and shared their own thoughts on seeing this tournament not only as a place of competition but a safe space for families and youth to be in. “It gives hope, it gives a little light to say that, you know, everything is not always going to be dark,” said Harris. “We have to try to show for these young children that there’s always a brighter tomorrow, everything is not always going to be a doom and gloom.” “I think we have to go back to that old saying “it takes a village”,” said Ross. “With us, what we’re doing is trying to relate to the younger ones to give them something so they don’t make those same mistakes that happened in Memphis or all around the country.”

Each of the additional fellowmen concurred with the points made about the program as a way to teach the youth and to be a positive influence in the community. As the games continued, parents and friends cheered along. The white team beat the light gray team to claim the championship, and Aaliyah Pegram of the white team was the most valuable player of the game.