Zany Harlem Wizards help MPD raise $7K for charities

By Nancy Reardon
MethuenLife Writer

The Harlem Wizards entertained a crowd of over 300 as they took on the Methuen Police Department for an evening of hoop-tastic fun and loads of entertainment to benefit the Methuen Patrolman’s Association.

The Wizards is a professional basketball team created in 1962 by sports promoter Howie Davis. They are NOT primarily focused on winning games. Instead, their aim is to entertain the crowd using a variety of basketball tricks and alley-oops.

Methuen Officer Sawyer Bilich contacted the Wizards in an effort to raise funds for the patrolmen group’s many causes including student scholarships, donations to Methuen Arlington Neighborhood, Cops for Kids with Cancer, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and more.

“We raised over $7,000 that will go into our scholarships and donations,” Bilich said. “The School Department helped and so did all of our vendors including KBK Sports, Aroma Joe’s, Walmart (which donated bikes that were raffled off), Texas Roadhouse, Sheehan’s Towing, Enterprise Bank, MAN Inc., Methuen Exchange Club, Washville and the MPD patrolman’s association. The night went amazing! It was a great night for the whole community and hopefully we can do this again next year. I want to thank all the volunteers and the Harlem Wizards for everything. Without them this event would never have happened. I especially want to thank my wife Emilee for all her help as well.”

During breaks in the game, the Wizards bring onto the court “Wiz Kids” from the audience to shoot baskets, dance and just have a fun time. Mission accomplished!

Police Sgt. Dan O’Connell was pulled onto the court to have a dance party with Harlem Wizard player “Big J,” aka John Smith.

A Wizards player hypes up the crowd!

Taking a break from the game are MPD players Officer Manny Suarez (with his son Hayden, 11 months and wife Haley) and Officer James Smith (with his son Hank, 10 months and wife Kelsey).