WPLG-10 News Anchor Calvin Hughes played hard.
About that everyone agrees.
So did Miami Mayor Francis Suarez.
But the team representing Darfoor Law Firm showed their talents on a different type of court and emerged as the 2018 Zo’s Hoop-Law Madness Charity Basketball Tournament champions.
It was a huge victory since Darfoor unseated the defending champions, team players from Eaton & Wolk PL, Harke Clasby & Bushman LLP, Rasco, Klock Perez & Neito and Vasallo Law.
This collective of local attorneys had won the first three Zo’s Hoop Madness.
WSVN-7 Sports Anchor Donovan Campbell was master of ceremonies for the game of 25 teams, about 150 players on March 31 at the Overtown Youth Center.
The 3-on-3 tournament is an idea of board member Candy Sicle, who proposed four years ago to create a fundraiser that would stand out from the traditional “black-tie-attire” gala, while still benefiting the organization.
The idea also sparked from the popular March Madness basketball games.
Sicle thought it would be a great idea to have employees of law firms in the community play in order to expose them to the organizations that provide supportive and preventive services to many of the youth they sometimes see or represent in court.
“This is also an opportunity for the youth we serve to see those in the legal field in a different light,” Yance Torres said in a statement.
Teams make a suggested donation of at least $1,500.
“The event has grown over the years, and now attracts over 25 law firms to battle on the court (pun intended), many of them return year after year to compete against their colleagues while supporting the life-changing work happening at the Overtown Youth Center.”
Even though the game is purely for entertainment and bragging rights, there is structure and game rules. The single-elimination games happen throughout the day, leaving only two firms to fight for the golden ball, which is a golden basketball trophy that is presented to the champions.
Second and third place finishers are recognized and awards are also presented to sponsors.
Miami Heat legend Alonzo Mourning kicked off the morning portion of the day by briefly talking about Overtown Youth Center’s mission and the importance of this event.
Mourning then took photos with each participating team.
“It just lets me know that there are people in the community, especially our legal community, who care about what we’re trying to get accomplished here,” he said.
The event has raised $50,000 and $75,000 respectively, to directly benefit the in-school, after-school and summer components that serve the children at the Overtown Youth Center.
These include preventive, interventional and support services to keep youth engaged in school that include STEM learning, mentoring, career and college exposure, job placement and more.
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