The temperatures might have reached 96 degrees last Saturday afternoon at Dr. Lena Edwards Park in Jersey City, a site also known as either “Baby Rutgers” or “Baby Rucker,” depending upon who you might talk to.
But the heat and humidity didn’t deter a collection of some of the all-time greatest high school basketball players to ever come out of Jersey City to get together and take part in the Jersey City Legends Classic.
The participants were all long retired from playing competitively. Most were in their 40s and have teenaged children of their own.
But they all laced it up once again and for a good cause, honoring the memory of a fellow Jersey City basketball legend, namely the late Roscoe Harris, the all-time leading scorer in the history of Marist High School who went on to play at Villanova. Harris was stabbed to death in a dispute outside his Jersey City home in 2001.
The legends took the time to honor Harris by presenting his family with a special jersey donning Harris’ No. 34. Some money was raised in terms of T-shirt sales and donations and presented to the Harris family.
But it was a very good excuse for some old friends and teammates — and in some cases, old rivals — to get together and reminisce while playing the sport they love, namely basketball.
“At this point in our lives, you can’t hide the age,” said former St. Mary’s point guard Mike Gonzalez. “We all know how old we are. Having a day like this brings back a lot of memories. I hadn’t seen a lot of these guys in years. There are about six or seven of my St. Mary’s teammates here. What a great day this is! We’re dying out here, but we all definitely had to be here.”
Robert Glover was Gonzalez’s teammate at the now-defunct St. Mary’s in downtown Jersey City. Glover was the primary organizer of the event. He was overjoyed with the turnout, with more than 40 former greats reuniting for the cause.
“It was great seeing everyone come back,” Glover said. “I’m just happy to be a part of it. We’re all still having fun.”
Another former St. Mary’s great Jason Roberts stole the show. Roberts, who went on to play college basketball at Wagner, was named Most Valuable Player of the day. Roberts scored 26 points in his team’s opening win, then sealed the deal in the championship game with a 35-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer, leading his team to the title.
Roshown McLeod, who played for St. Anthony and later for St. John’s and Duke and finally in the NBA with the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers, came back from Atlanta to play in the tournament. Roy “Pooh” Hairston, who had a great career at Snyder and later Purdue University before heading off to play professionally in Europe, came back from Indianapolis where he now resides with his family.
Kevin George, who helped Marist win its first county championship in the famed Mike Leonardo era in 1989, then went on to help Fairfield University win the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference title and a trip to the NCAA Tournament, came back from Alexandria, Va., where he now lives.
“This is indescribable,” George said. “I came back to see all my boys. It’s a blessing to be here. I’m seeing guys from all over the country all coming back to Jersey City to play. I don’t get many chances like this.”
Rahkeem Burgess is like George now 43 years old. He paired with Hairston to help Snyder win the 1990 NJSIAA Group III state championship, one of only two state championships ever captured by a Jersey City public school.
“I grew up with these guys and it’s always a pleasure to see them,” said Burgess, who now resides in Hillside. “It’s a beautiful day. We have to do what we can to keep this day going.”
Burgess had to go head-to-head against Hairston in the title game.
“They didn’t want me and Pooh to be on the same team,” Burgess said. “It was hard trying to play against him. Winning that championship that year meant so much to all of us. We had two Jersey City teams [St. Anthony being the other] in the Tournament of Champions that year. It was our goal to win the state championship and we did it.”
Just like that, it was 25 years ago. These were all players that this reporter covered during his days at the now-defunct Hudson Dispatch, a glorious time in Jersey City basketball history, all recaptured a bit by a Saturday afternoon in the park…
Sad to hear the tale of former St. Anthony, Kansas and Brooklyn Nets guard Tyshawn Taylor, who was charged last week with cashing a fraudulent $1,000 money order in a Hoboken store.
Taylor had been playing professionally in Russia and later Puerto Rico after being released by the Nets in 2013.
Sources say the owners of the Hoboken store knew Taylor since he was a youngster. They didn’t want to press charges against Taylor and only did when Taylor allegedly refused to repay the $1,000 he received from the phony money order…
Jersey City native and current Bayonne resident Michael Martucci signed a professional baseball contract last week with the independent Sussex County Miners of the Can-Am League.
Martucci, who just recently completed a brilliant career at New Jersey City University, signed as a free agent and was put to work right away, playing second base in one game and the outfield in the next. It’s a great chance for Martucci to play pro ball…
Secaucus native Nicole Degenhardt, the 2005-06 Hudson Reporter Female Athlete of the Year, has been named the head softball coach at Georgian Court in Lakewood. Degenhardt had spent the last few years at the College of St. Elizabeth…
Jersey City native Royaal Jones, a senior at Hudson Catholic, was named to the prestigious Serevi RugbyTown 7s Rugby Tournament in Glendale, Colorado last weekend. Jones was one of eleven players chosen from the Mid-Atlantic Region to play with the nationally ranked Atlantis U18 Select Team…
We will continue our tour around Hudson County football with more previews filled with names, heights and weights, statistics and you name it, a comprehensive guide to get ready for the upcoming high school football season that kicks off Friday, Sept. 11…–Jim Hague
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.