HANOVER — As she made the experience over to Starland Sportsplex and Fun Park on Saturday, Christina Pham felt like she had a possibility. Set to take part within the eleventh annual A Shot For Life Challenge, the Nobles women basketball standout had an opportunity to make a reputation for herself, whereas additionally supporting a significant endeavor.
She proceeded to stun the gang, flattening 84.1% of her pictures through the day en path to being named the 2023 ASFL women basketball champion.
“I’m just truly grateful to be here in the first place,” Pham stated afterward. “There’s a lot of talent in this gym, and we’re all being a part of something greater than basketball. So, it’s exciting.”
For Pham, this 12 months’s match had added that means, and he or she felt compelled to participate.
“My grandfather passed away a few years ago from lung cancer,” Pham stated. “So it does mean a lot. But whether or not cancer has directly impacted me, it’s still a great cause (to support).”
Claire Keswick, a Northwestern commit, completed because the match’s runner-up, changing 79.96% of her shot makes an attempt. With just a few of her fellow Tabor Academy teammates additionally collaborating, Keswick discovered a groove early thanks partially to her success on the free throw line, and was in a position to preserve it for almost all of the day.
Like Pham, nevertheless, Keswick determined to hitch the showcase for a better trigger.
“Everyone knows someone,” stated Keswick. “I lost my grandfather to cancer. There’s been a couple of cases in my hometown, with one of my little sister’s friends. It’s so special that we can all use this platform, and come together to spread awareness.”
Keswick continued.
“I actually fundraised by holding clinics for younger girls,” Keswick stated. “Obviously, we worked on basketball. But we talked about this cause, what it means to all of us. I think spreading that awareness, not just raising money, but by spreading awareness in my community about cancer, and how we can use something we love and something we are passionate about to move forward with that, that meant a lot to me.”
According to ASFL Founder and CEO Mike Slonina, upwards of $50,000 has already been raised by this 12 months’s match. He hopes his basis can proceed to develop. Whether ‘A Shot For Life’ provides extra sports activities to its slate because it has in recent times, or expands past New England stays to be seen, however Slonina will do his finest to go away an enduring legacy.
“We’ve made really systematic steps to get to this point,” stated Slonina. “A big thing that we’re talking about now is how to reach that next point. So we did, we were strategic with how we grew. So, baseball and softball was first, but there was always a plan to continue to push the envelope from there. Now, we’re looking to branch out regionally as well.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com