The Harlem Wizards will make a triumphant return to Western Brown High School. Event organizer Cindy Brumfield said the event is to raise money to benefit pee-wee basketball in the Mt. Orab area.

“We’re bringing the Wizards in to raise money for Mt. Orab youth basketball,” Brumfield said. “That’s grades four through six at Mt. Orab, or 18 teams. These kids have to pay to play, it’s not a school function. What the Wizards do, they come in sometime early Wednesday morning and do school visits. They’ll be in the gyms and lunch periods of all the schools in Western Brown and the JVS that day for two to three hours.”

The event itself will begin 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2 in the high school gymnasium. Doors open 5:30 for the game, which does involve some actual basketball action as well as entertaining skits.

“There’s four quarters,” Brumfield said. “The third quarter is true basketball. Five minutes straight of nothing but lay-ups, dunks and basketball. The other three quarters will be fun. There will be tricks. You never know what they’re going to do when they come in. Every kid that attends that show gets to come down on the floor when they call them and they’re really good about sticking around for autographs too.”

Some of the participants in the skits are willing, while others…not as much.

“Last year they picked up Lynette Garrett, one of our school board members, and ran out the door with her,” Brumfield said. “Scared her half to death.”

Brumfield also noted that the event will appeal to people of all ages due to the wacky nature of the Wizards themselves.

“I don’t care if you’re three or you’re 73,” Brumfield said. “You’re going to be rolling around laughing the entire show. You’ll look down and there will only be four of them on the floor and one of them will be up in the stands somewhere. You don’t ever know where they’re going to be. We’ve watched them come back with popcorn, pick on kids and bring them down on the court…it’s hilarious to watch.”

Tickets for the event will be sold at the gate or online at harlemwizards.thundertix.com. Those with any questions should call 513-305-5481 or 937-213-2037 or reach out to the Mt. Orab Youth Basketball Association on Facebook.

By Garth Shanklin

gshanklin@civitasmedia.com

Reach Garth Shanklin at 937-378-6161 or follow him on Twitter @GNDShanklin.