Bathurst team takes on Harlem Ambassadors this Saturday in charity match at Irving Centre

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There was plenty of good-natured joking last week as the Bathurst Traveling All-Stars gathered for a team photo at the Bathurst High School gym.

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The Bathurst Traveling All-Stars will hit the court against the Harlem Ambassadors Saturday at the K. C. Irving Regional Centre. Shown front from left are referee Timmy Daley, Jill Boucher, Mayor Stephen Brunet, who will be the water boy; John Farine, referee Jordan Frenette and Serge Arseneau. Second row: Don McKay, Shaun MacDonald, Brad McLellan, Colin Brewster and Adam DeGrace. Back: Peter Assaff, Alan Doucet, Stephanie Brennan, Mike Sadovoy and Glenn States.

The group, which includes local athletes and celebrities, takes to the court Saturday at 7 p.m. for a charity basketball game at the K. C. Irving Regional Centre against the touring Harlem Ambassadors.

"It is going to be hilarious," said Alan Doucet, who is coaching the local team with Glenn States. "It is going to be great family entertainment."

The Ambassadors, who tour North America to play charity events with their comedy basketball team, offered to visit Bathurst at their own expense after hearing of the tragic Jan. 12 accident that claimed the lives of seven members of the BHS boys basketball team and their coach's wife.

Doucet said the game will serve as part of the community's healing process.

"It is time to laugh," he said. "As a community, we need to do that. We need to get out and have a few laughs. Laughter is good medicine and that is what we need to do."

"I think it is going to be a great event," echoed States. "It is time for Bathurst to come together as a community to start the healing process. There is no better way to do that than with a good fun game of basketball. It brought us together once for sorrow; why can't it bring us together again for joy?"

Tickets, available at the Irving Centre box office, are $10 for adults and $7 for students and seniors. Children 10 and under are admitted free. Proceeds from the game will help Bathurst High School purchase a minibus to help transport students to athletics and other extracurricular events, with a portion also going to Ecole Secondaire Nepisiguit athletic initiatives.

States, who coached this year's ESN boys basketball team, said the event is a good opportunity for all of those people who said they wanted to do something in the wake of the accident to step forward.

"This is certainly something they can do," he pointed out. "We've got to keep our kids safe when they are traveling."

The Traveling All-Stars lineup features Brad McLellan, Adam DeGrace, Shaun MacDonald, Colin Brewster, Mark Brewster, Jamie Robichaud, Guilman Roy, Jordan Doucet, Katie Gammon, Jill Boucher, Serge Arseneau, John Farine, Peter Assaff, sports editor of The Northern Light; Mike Sadavoy and Stephanie Brennan, co-hosts of the morning show on Max 104.9 FM; deputy mayor Scott Ferguson, Luc Foulem, Acadie-Bathurst Titan director of marketing and public relations; Constable Jackalyn Beck of the Bathurst City Police and BHS vice principal Don McKay.

Mayor Stephen Brunet will act as the team's waterboy while BHS basketball players Timmy Daley and Jordan Frenette will be the games referees. Daley was injured in the Jan. 12 accident, while Frenette wasn't with the team that fateful night after falling ill.

"We have what you'd call the star-studded lineup," laughed States. "They (the Ambassadors) have Little T, we have our own Little J, John Farine. It is going to be fun to watch. It is all about family, it is all about fun."