38 NOVEMBER 17 - NOVEMBER 23, 2017 BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP
Nets players serve as coaches
and referees at Fort Ham game
BY JAIME DEJESUS
JDEJESUS@BROOKLYNREPORTER.COM
Since the Brooklyn Nets moved
to the borough in 2012, the franchise
has found ways to show its
gratitude toward military personnel
stationed at Fort Hamilton Army
Base. This year was no different.
On Monday, November 14, just
two days after Veterans Day, Nets
players Quincy Acy, Trevor Booker
and Spencer Dinwiddie served as
coaches and referees as veterans
were the stars playing a friendly but
competitive game against each other.
Joint Task Force Empire Shield of the
New York National Guard took on the
New York City Recruiting Battalion.
In past years, the Nets held a practice
for veterans to watch, but this
year, the tables were turned.
"Every year on Veterans Day, we
like to do something with the base,”
said Michael Wisniewski, senior
manager for community relations
for the Nets. “We’ve worked with
them for a few years now and this
time we decided to do something different.
We wanted the vets involved
in playing basketball so we had the
guys coming in to coach the players
which is different than what we’re
used to. We also have 26 veterans
coming to watching a game in a suite,
and an additional 50 tickets that will
be going to veterans as well. In years
past we’ve come for full team practice
in front of veterans. This year we
want to make it more interactive and
have the veterans play a game with
our players there to coach the team.”
The Nets also want to show their
gratitude to the military. “The players
are always seen as superstars or role
models but we wanted to show that
the veterans and military men and
women are actually the real life heroes,"
said Wiesniewski. "It’s great to
have a partnership with Fort Hamilton.
It’s over seven years strong. Each
year we try to do something new.”
“They do the more important job,”
said Acy, who served as one of the
coaches. “We just go out and play
basketball games, so to come here
and give back means the world to
me. It’s fun. You see the passion and
the competitive level they play at.
Nets players Trevor Booker, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Quincy Acy pose with both teams that
participated in the game.
They enjoy it and it’s good to be able
to coach. We look up to them. We just
play a game. They risk their lives. The
franchise does a great job of keeping
us all involved in the community and
that’s the most important thing.”
“On behalf of the Brooklyn Nets, we
along with the rest of the Nets are
grateful for what you all do,” Dinwiddie
told the crowd. “We really appreciate
BROOKLYN MEDIA GROUP/Photos by Jaime DeJesus
it. It’s an honor to be able to come here
and spend time with you all. Thank you
from the bottom of our hearts.”
Military personnel were thrilled
at the game and about the players
giving them pointers on how to play
the game right. “It’s an honor that the
Nets are taking time out of their busy
schedules to come and support their
community,” said Staff Sergeant for
the Army Michael Illidge. “It’s a good
friendly game between the National
Guard and the Army Reserve. We
plan on coming out victorious but
we’re just happy to be there.”
“It’s a blessing. I’m a chaplain for the
Army and to have a National Basketball
Association team's support, I feel
that it’s very patriotic and encourages
a lot of our service members to
know that we receive support from
our community,” added Chaplain
Major James Kim.
“It was a great and humbling experience,”
said Staff Sergeant Howard
Lovell. “Everyone was involved. We
were able to get the military kids
close to see us play sports to see
that we don’t only do military stuff.
We also enjoy playing sports and it
was great interaction with the Nets
players. Overall, it was a great and
exciting event.”
The game was a nail biter. After
trailing by 10 after the first quarter,
the New York City Recruiting Battalion
made a comeback and took the
game in overtime by a score of 47-46.
The two military teams battle it out on the court at the Fort
Hamilton Army Base
Trevor Booker signs
autographs to the kids in
attendance.
Spencer Dinwiddie and
Trevor Booker.
Trevor Booker waves to the
crowd.