A mental health initiative launched by a star high school basketball player has raised more than $9,000 so far, with the latest donations generated from a fundraising basketball tournament at the Langley Events Centre.
“Bigger than basketball” was founded by basketball star Bradley Braich, a standout player for the Abbotsford Yale Secondary Lions.
His impressive stats include Canadian National All-Star Second Team, Fraser Valley All-Star First Team, Yale Invitational Secondary Most Valuable Player (MVP), Gary Taylor Classic MVP, and Cougar Classic MVP.
While Braich scored plenty of points on the court, he revealed that he struggled with many of the pressures and expectations associated with playing the game and being an athlete.
“Bigger Than Basketball” aims to raise funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC. branch with donation fundraising games featuring top basketball talent from local schools.
After the annual event was shelved for two years due to the pandemic, it returned on May 5 to the Langley venue featuring all-star teams of top high school players from Langley and the surrounding communities.
There was a boys’ and girls’ game, and a three-point contest.
It garnered the largest turnout and donations to date, raising $4,400 for the Canadian Mental Health Association in BC when online donations stopped collecting in mid-May.
That represented an increase over the previous two events, which raised more than $2,000 in 2018 and raised over $3,000 in 2019.
Braich was delighted.
“Bigger Than Basketball has now raised over $9000 [since it began],” Braich told the Langley Advance Times.
“I was delighted with the endless support the event and the cause received this year,” Braich enthused.
“I was able to meet so many amazing people and really enjoyed every conversation I had. We can’t wait to see how much more the event grows. [next year].”
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