City of Basketball Love

By Josh Verlin (@jmverlin)
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Good hoops for a good cause return to Delaware County this weekend.

The 32st annual Billy Lake Memorial ALS Basketball Marathon takes place this Saturday, October 12, at Bonner-Prendergast High School.

A nine-game event running from 9 AM until 6 PM, the Billy Lake Marathon is named in memory of Billy Lake, who passed away from ALS in April 1992; the event was run that fall for the first time. A release sent out by the event organizers claim it is the “longest running family event to benefit ALS in the USA.” All proceeds go to the ALS Association, Greater Philadelphia Chapter, and the Billy Lake Memorial Scholarship Fund at Bonner-Prendergast. 

The event features quite a few of the area’s top teams, including host Bonner-Prendergast, as well as fellow Catholic League teams Father Judge, La Salle and West Catholic, plus strong District 1 squads Coatesville, Downingtown West, Penncrest and more. The morning has two girls games featuring four great teams in Perk Valley vs. Archbishop Carroll and Conestoga vs. Notre Dame.

There is no admissions cost to enter; money will be raised through donations and 50/50 raffles held throughout the day, as well as by selling t-shirts. 

Here’s the full schedule:
9 AM: Perkiomen Valley vs. Archbishop Carroll (Girls)
10 AM: Conestoga vs. Notre Dame (Girls)
11 AM: Bishop Shanahan vs. Father Judge (Boys)
12 PM: Bonner-Prendergast vs. Coatesville (Boys)
1 PM: West Catholic vs. Penncrest (Boys)
2 PM: Eastern (N.J.) vs. Central Bucks West (Boys)
3 PM: Downingtown West vs. Springfield (Delco.)
4 PM: West Chester Henderson vs. La Salle College HS
5 PM: Haverford High vs. West Chester Henderson