The Patrick’s PALS 22nd Annual 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament benefiting FRAXA took place on Saturday, June 2, 2018, at the Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (BB&N) in Cambridge. 36 teams signed up and were squeezed into the 32-team, double-elimination format. Three-time returning champs, the Kline Team, put up a valiant effort in defending their crown, but in the end the Goldstein Team (runners-up to the Kline Team two years ago) defeated the Taub Team (runners-up to Kline three years ago).
Opening ceremonies were hosted by Patrick’s father, James Vershbow and featured special guests:
- Rebecca Upham, retiring Head of School at BB&N, honored for her many years of supporting PALS via her generous donation of the use of BB&N’s beautiful gym;
- Tom, Mike & Vinnie Gilarde, owners of Three Twins of Watertown, MA, awarded the PAL of The Year Award for generously donating custom t-shirts each and every year for the past 20 years;
- Joe Banner, our 2018 PALS Honorary Chair;
- Eric Welin, Fragile X parent, who graciously shared the powerful story of how he and his wife became parents of two boys with Fragile X.
The day itself was the “greatest day of the year” for the 22nd year in a row! Family, friends, participants and volunteers all came together to watch, play, celebrate, and win. We, the PALS Organizing Committee (Jim & Pamela Vershbow, Jon Pressman, Bill Rome, Steve Savarese, Jim Marks, Scott Katz, Andrew Pressman, Steven Rome and Peter Savarese) are forever grateful to everyone who had a hand in Patrick’s PALS raising another $125,000 for Fragile X research!
