SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – The Pirates showed a group of youngsters from Essex County that basketball and education go hand in hand.  For the second consecutive year, eighty-five children from La Casa de Don Pedro had the unique opportunity to take part in a basketball clinic at Seton Hall University. 

The event which took place last week in the Richie Regan Recreation Center was organized by Seton Hall University alumnus, Nick Scalera, who is on La Casa de Don Pedro’s Board of Directors and was part of the athletic department’s community outreach program.

The event included visits from several members of the Seton Hall family, including Women’s Basketball head coach Phyllis Mangina, senior forward/center John Garcia, freshman center Melvyn Oliver, Athletic Director Joseph Quinlan, former Pirate Jerry Walker, and the Pirate himself.

“These are a great bunch of kids and they are future Pirate fans,” explained Quinlan.  “We want to just show them that basketball is fun but if you hit the books and study, there is nothing in this world that you can’t do.”

The day started with, Phyllis Mangina and her coaching staff splitting the children in to groups for a few drills and other activities.  Afterwards, Garcia spoke to the group about his experience playing basketball and the importance of a proper education.  In addition, John answered questions for the children and gave them a brief slam-dunk exhibition.

“These kids are great,” said Garcia. “They came to a game last year at the Prudential Center and you could hear them screaming throughout the arena,” Garcia said.

Garcia was followed by a visit from Quinlan, who emphasized the importance of balancing education and sports.  He told them that “You can have a basketball in one hand, but it is important to have a book in the other.”

The event was closed out by a visit from former Seton Hall Pirate, Jerry Walker.  Jerry spoke to the group about how education helped his career and ended the clinic with a trivia contest, which touched on subjects from college basketball to politics.  The children that answered Jerry’s questions correctly received a Seton Hall basketball.

Nobody went home empty handed though, as every child at the clinic received a Seton Hall backpack autographed by John Garcia.