Group prepares for hoops game

The basketball game has raised about 9,000 in its first two years.
YOUNGSTOWN -- The third annual Game of Hope Classic, a celebrity benefit basketball game sponsored by Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity at Youngstown State University, is on for Jan. 27.
The game will be played at 4:30 p.m. Jan. 27 in Beeghly Center at YSU. Tickets are 5 and will be available at the door.
The event will benefit actor Paul Newman's The Hole in the Wall Gang for chronically and terminally ill children, and Tod Children's Hospital in Youngstown.
Last year's game drew about 600 people and raised nearly 5,000. It collected 4,000 in its first year.
Donations are being accepted online, by mail and by any Home Savings and Loan branch. Donors should mention "The Game of Hope Account." Mailed donations should be sent to: Phi Kappa Tau, 274 North Heights, Youngstown, OH 44504.
Anyone attending the YSU basketball game scheduled before the Game of Hope is invited to stay in the gym at no extra charge.
Personalities involved
Jeff Kelly of Clear Channel Radio and the announcer for YSU basketball will serve as master of ceremonies.
The game will feature an "all-star" team of elected officials and labor leaders against the Phi Kappa Tau team.
Members of the all-stars are: John Boccieri, state Senator-elect for the 33rd District; Mike O'Brien, mayor of Warren; Ron Strollo, executive director of athletics at YSU; Jim Graham, president of United Auto Workers Local 1112; Jim Kaster, president of UAW Local 1714; John McNally, Mahoning County commissioner; Jay Williams, mayor of Youngstown; and P.J. Fecko, Cardinal Mooney head football coach.
Jerry Mac of 95.9 KISS FM will coach the team.
Robb Schmidt, WKBN news anchor, will coach the Phi Kappa Tau team.
Other activities at the Game of Hope include the City Printing 10-point shot, the YSU Men's Basketball Team Slam-Dunk Exhibition, the 5 for 50 half-court shot and visits by Scrappy (Mahoning Valley Scrappers), Pete and Penny (YSU) and Crusher (Youngstown SteelHounds).
Corporate sponsors include television stations WKBN 27 and FOX 17/62, 95.9 KISS-FM, the North Eastern Ohio Education Association, GM-Lordstown Complex and UAW locals 1714 and 1112 from GM Lordstown.
New this year
Two new parts of this year's event are the Nominate-a-Player and Crowe's Cabinet Most Valuable Player Award.
Members of the public can nominate a person to play on the all-star team by e-mailing that person's name to Tony Spano, coordinator of the Game of Hope Classic, at avspano@ysu.edu by midnight Jan. 8.
The Crowe's Cabinet Most Valuable Player Award is for the player who shows his exceptional plays on the court and will be presented at the end of the game.
The Hole in the Wall Gang program was founded by Paul Newman in 1988 and is a national Phi Kappa Tau charitable cause. Newman was a member of the fraternity while in college, and the program name was taken from his movie "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."
A different local charity is selected each year to also benefit from the game.
For more information, visit the Game of Hope Classic Web site at www.thegameofhope.com.