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Bill Howell, a Lansing graduate from the class of '65, sent the Star some pictures of the Alumni Basketball game that took place in the Lansing High School Gymnasium just before New Year. Varsity Basketball Coach Adam Heck organized the two games, one for players who graduated before 1985, and the other for what Howell calls "the kids" who graduated after that date.

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John Rogers, John Haring, John Eastman, Bill Howell, Unidentified, Dominic Christopher, Jimmer Howell, Scott Bishop, Mike French, and Butch Crozier.
(Picture by Marcy Howell)

"The gym was full of fans, the players had a ball, playing and renewing old friendships, and Stu Dean, Adam Heck & emcee Geoff Wright did a super job running the whole show," says Howell.


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Scott Bishop, John Rogers, Stu Dean, Jimmer Howell [partially hidden], John Eastman, Butch Crozier, John Haring's back, Mike French, and Bill Howell.  Geoff Wright and Adam Heck behind the team.
(Sgt. Robert Taylor, Daytona Beach FL PD and LHS Class of '67)

"The huge crowd of the players' families and friends was very well entertained by both the hilarious efforts of the Class of '85 Old Timers in the first game, as well as by the competitive efforts & great plays of the "kids" from the class of '86 on up in the 2nd game," Howell reports. "There was a ton of camaraderie among us all, as we renewed old friendships [but not skills !] while playing a sport that all of us spent our youths doing our best at for good ol' Lansing High. It was a special treat for all of us Bobcat basketball alumni to get to do this again in front of our true fans, our families! "

He goes on to report, "We banged bodies all night long, esp. with my brother Jim, while our twin brothers, Don & Dave, sat in the stands & yelled at us all game long to keep banging each other. Our parents, Jim & Phyllis, loved it!"

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Howell reports, "This photo, by cousin Robert, shows me presenting the "game ball" to our father Jim for being the Lansing Bobcats' basketball #1 fan, along with my dear mother Phyllis, since he has been taking [sometimes dragging] her to every boys & girls basketball ball game anywhere in central NY for at least the past 43 years, when I, as the oldest son, first started playing JV basketball!
They're an amazing couple, but Mom was too shy to come out of the stands to receive the Game Ball with her hubbie."

Howell claims that there wasn't much running in the "Old Timers'" game. But he admits, "I cheated -- as an avid marathon runner that I am, I was in top shape to run all night long, but it was my rusty [more non-existent] basketball skills that got me into trouble all evening with my team-mates."

After the games awards were handed out. Howell won the "oldest player" award, receiving a Lansing Bobcat Basketball golf shirt.

The upshot, says Howell, is that "A good time was had by all!"

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