Photo: Olive Branch men’s alumni basketball team after their 68-53 victory over their counterparts from Byhalia. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
There was basketball being played on a June Saturday night at Charlie Bibbs Gymnasium in Olive Branch. While the scoreboard posted points for winners and losers in K.J. Wright’s Charity Alumni Basketball Game, Olive Branch and Byhalia high schools both became the real winners from evening’s activities.
Wright, the native who went on from Olive Branch High School to play in the NFL and win a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks, hosted the contest between basketball alums of the two high schools for charity. It’s been done for four years now and Wright billed it as the last one.
Wright, who played 10 seasons with the Seahawks and one with the Raiders, with his Wright Way Foundation held the contest as a fundraiser for the schools.
The Wright Way Foundation is a youth-focused organization based in K.J. Wright’s hometown of Olive Branch and in Seattle, Washington. He sets as a focus teaching youngsters about financial literacy, offering guidance, support, and scholarships to underserved student-athletes, helping them thrive both academically and athletically, and uses sports, including an AAU basketball team, to keep kids engaged, teach teamwork, and promote physical activity.
Wright said he had a specific goal in mind to raise from Saturday’s contest.
“My goal was $50,000 and we got to do the math, but I fully expect $50,000 to be donated,” Wright said, adding that Olive Branch and Byhalia will share in the game proceeds.
Olive Branch alumni women’s team.
On the floor before a crowded house inside the gymnasium, the Olive Branch women broke free from Byhalia after halftime for a 42-30 victory. The Lady Quistors led by just 18-17 at halftime. Normanique Jonson of Olive Branch was selected as the game Most Valuable Player after hitting 17 points.
Women’s game MVP Normanique Jonson of Olive Branch.
Olive Branch also won the men’s game 68-53 with MVP Kelvin Allen scoring 15 points for the Quistors, which built an eight-point lead at halftime. Byhalia closed the gap but Olive Branch pulled away in the final of four, 10-minute quarters.
“Everyone really had a great time just celebrating our history,” Wright said. The schools have had a rivalry over the years and the game helped revive some of that while raising money.
The evening provided a chance for some accolades given to Wright and others. The Olive Branch High School Alumni Association gave Wright a Lifetime Achievement Award. State Rep. Bill Kimkade (R-Byhalia) also presented the retired football player a copy of House Resolution 104, recognizing his career and his contributions to benefit Olive Branch and the state of Mississippi.
State Rep. Bill Kinkade presents Wright with House Resolution 104, authored by Kinkade and Rep. Justin Keen, as Olive Branch Alderman Dale Dickerson looks on.
Six Community Support Awards were also given by the Wright Way Foundation to Dale Dickerson, Jason Black, Van Rayford, Derry Gooden, Michael “Mikey Elliot” Glover, and Sharon Sharp Cook.
