Gearing Up For The Pink Ribbon Basketball Challenge

Friday, 20 September 2019 09:00

Two women's college basketball teams will face off in the Oxford Pink Ribbon Basketball Challenge in Woodstock next weekend. The McMaster Marauders will take on the Fanshawe Falcons inside of St. Mary's High School, in effort to raise money for breast cancer.

WOODSTOCK - St. Mary's High School in Woodstock is set to host the Oxford Pink Ribbon Basketball Challenge next Saturday.

The McMaster Marauders will play Fanshawe Falcons in the Oxford Pink Ribbon Basketball Challenge.

The charity basketball game will raise money for breast cancer, with all proceeds going towards the Canadian Cancer Society in Woodstock.

Executive Director Paul Martin says the fundraiser is to also help promote women's basketball in Oxford County.

"In the past the Oxford Attack Community Basketball Club and the Oxford Basketball Officials Association have brought some brought men's college games to town, but as we started to see more interest in girls basketball we thought we'd approach some women's team to Woodstock."

Martin has been refereeing basketball for 50 years and he says he has maintained a pretty good relationship with a lot of coaches. After gaining interest from both teams' head coaches, they decided to put it together.

He says McMaster's head coach Theresa Burns and Fanshawe's assistant coach Theresa Carriere are both cancer survivors as well.

"When we started putting this game together, once I found out both teams had coaches that were cancer survivors, and having done some things previously for the Canadian Cancer Society, I thought this would be a good tie in to be able to promote breast cancer with what they're planning on doing for their campaign."

The event will also feature four high school basketball games as well. The gym inside of the school holds a capacity of 500 seats and Martin says this is the first time they have made advanced tickets available.

Tickets are $5.00 and they can be picked up at the Merrifield Book Shop, Canadian Cancer Society or Woodstock Print & Litho Ltd.

The game will start at 2:00 pm.