Basketball was the name of the game last month in the gym at the Jewish Community Center. Thirty teams from as young as third graders to adults played in the annual Eddie Belgrade Memorial 3-on-3 Nothing but Nets Basketball Challenge.
 “It was fun and a big success,” summed up Mimi Silverman who co-chaired the event with Mike Siegel.

The adults took the basketball challenge seriously blocks a shot, in front of Mike Silverman.

 On top of the fun, nearly $7,000 was netted in pledges which, after expenses are paid, will be split evenly between Temple Israel and the JCC, co-sponsors of the event. Temple’s portion will be donated to Nothing but Nets, one of the synagogue's social justice projects. The nets, which provide protection from mosquitoes that transmit malaria, will be sent to Sudanese refugees. The other half of the proceeds will help fund JCC youth athletics.
 In addition to the players, about 15 volunteers helped keep time during the games, checked in the teams, and sold Gatorade and water.
 Winning teams were the Fab 5 from the third-fourth grade division. Team players were Milo Greder, AJ Perrault, Will McGauvran, Alex Belgrade, and Adam Folsom. Fifth-sixth grade champions were the Junior Jays which included TJ Haller, Brendan Lofgren, John Brandl, and Tyler Jacobsen.
 The Mustangs, Matt Feilmeier, Joe Grobeck, and Brett Begley, won in the seventh-eighth

The Fab 5 won the  third/fourth-grade division: Will McGauvran, left, Milo Greder, Alex Belgrade, AJ Perrault, and Jack Begley.

grade division. The Mother Chapter team of Ryan Kirshenbaum, Yonatan Dotan, Joey Kahn, Charles Parsow, and Ryan Tolmensen, were the high school division champions.
 From the adult division, The Underdogs, Mychael Friedman, Brandon Friedman, Skyler Asmussen, Ben Sharpe, and Tom Tingwald, took division honors.
 Shari Hess, a co-chairman with Mimi Silverman, of Temple Israel’s Social Justice Committee, chaperoned students from Benson and Central and from Chandler View Elementary who were able to participate in the games thanks to four generous donors.
 “They haven’t stopped talking about it!” Hess said. “And they want to know about next year already!”

Winners in the teen division were: Charles Parsow, left, Ryan Tolmensen, Yonatan Dotan, and Ryan Kirshenbaum. Not pictured: Joey Kahn.

 Silverman said there was “excitement around the big (scoring) chart to see who played against who and when. There were lots of people around as it was getting completed -- and lots of energy.”
 Siegel, representing the JCC, described the event as “very successful. Everybody had a great time, and the addition of having (Creighton University senior basketball players) Josh Dotzler and Booker Woodfox provided extra fun for the participants.”