West Hartford – Pete Higgins, co-founder Greater Hartford Pro AmInside the James A. Calhoun Gymnasium Saint Joseph University On Tuesday, amazed at what his 25-year-old’s vision had become.
Surrounded by pro legends and future stars in the storied event’s new home, Higgins looked over his left shoulder, saw Calhoun standing in the doorway and was able to reflect on the last 25 years – the many different host locations for the summer basketball event and the struggles to find sponsors that would To balance the costs and keep it afloat.
In an effort to bring the event back to a venue closer to Hartford for its quarter-century celebration, Higgins and commissioner Anthony Price needed a major sponsor.
One of the summer league coaches knew Jeff Flack, president and CEO of Hartford Health Care, and suggested that Higgins write him a letter. He did, and was sure to drop the name of Olusegun “Shay” Ajayi, who was involved in pro-government during his time at Trinity College and is now Vice President and Chief of Staff for Flack. A few weeks later, Higgins gets a call from Ajayi and quickly gets Hartford Healthcare as a major backer.
“I’m so happy to be a part of this,” Flack told The Courant Tuesday. “We’ve always had such a great respect, gratitude, and appreciation for professionals and at this moment we’re going to revitalize it and we’re going to reimagine it, and we’re going to bring more into it to make it better. But it means a lot. This is about the community. It’s about the people… What we really want to do to support Pete’s vision is achieve it the The focus of health, wellness and safety and making it so much more. We will touch life, we will improve people’s health, and we will help people find things earlier. So this will have profits far beyond what we can imagine.”
The 25th season will start in the last week of June and the playoffs will take place in mid-August.
“Our players, going back to Cliff Robinson, Kemba Walker, Ray Allen and Rip Hamilton — all of these guys came into the (pro) league and played. And I thought it was one of the greatest things in the world,” Calhoun said. “The last couple of years we’ve had difficulties getting On the site and get some love. The community needed love – On one of the great days of my life, in 1999, we had 250,000 people parade for the national championship. The greatest thing about this crowd, it represented all of Hartford. I’ve never forgotten the great feeling Hartford had that day that their team was so successful.”
The pro has continued to build its roots, with many former players returning to check it out and offer support. Troy McCoy Sr.the former East Hartford and South Carolina star, was present with his son, Troy McCoy Jrwho plays for Massanutten Military Academy and will spend another summer playing pro.
“I don’t want this to be a best kept secret anymore, I want everyone to know about the league,” Price said. “I want it to be an opportunity for everyone to see great basketball, for the families to come and for the players to develop their game.”
Jay Ragland Jr., a West Hartford native and rising rookie at Cornell University who will play in the tournament this summer, stood on the podium under the basket and remembered the picture he had drawn of him at home. Ryan Gomezthe Waterbury native and former Boston Celtic who was on hand in support.
Matt Knowling, a rookie from Ellington who was a leading scorer at Yale last season, will also play in pro this summer, as will outstanding St. Thomas More and UConn Class of 2024 recruit Tyler Betsy.
“Being able to play in this, especially on our 25th anniversary, is a real blessing,” said Knowling, who grew up going to the professional games when they were hosted at the Academy of Medical and Sport Sciences (SMSA).
West Hartford Mayor Sherry Cantor attended as well as Hartford Mayor Luke Bronnen and Rona Frye, President of St. Joseph’s University.
“This is a great day to celebrate the pros running 25 years in our state and to celebrate its continuation here at this great facility,” said Bronyn. “I felt fortunate to be able to go and watch the amazing basketball played by both professionals and amateurs. It’s a great way to introduce our young players to some of the best players around and see what’s possible and see what path they can take to get there.
“We are a proud basketball nation, this is just another way of showing it.”