LEXINGTON, N.C. — Jamal Durham, a former forward for North Davidson High School basketball team, wanted to give back to his community and decided to put on an alumni basketball game. 

What You Need To Know

The game took place Jan. 7

Alumni from North Davidson, Thomasville and Lexington high schools played in the game

Donations went to two schools and the family of Marcus Bratton

Durham said, due to COVID-19, alumni basketball games with players from North Davidson, Lexington and Thomasville high schools haven’t happened since 2019. This year, he wanted to change that.

It was important for him to host this event, so old teammates and rival teams could see each other again. 

“A lot of these guys, they’re older, they have kids,” Durham said. “They don’t play again, so it’s another opportunity to play with the boys that they went to school with, see people they played against since it’s their rival schools, and things like that.”

He says the planning and effort that went into putting it together was a lot, but it was worth it to see everyone together again.

This alumni game has been a tradition in the community, started first by his former coach, and each year they raise money for charity. 

This year there were three different donations for each school playing.

As fans entered the gym, there were three assigned doors for each school. The purpose was so that those coming to watch the games would go through the door of the team they were cheering on and donate to that school as well.

For Thomasville, the donations went to the family of Marcus Bratton, a former football player Durham knew well.

“The right door is the Thomasville door, so all the Thomasville fans and community will go through the right door and all of the proceeds will go to the family of Marcus Bratton, who died in a car accident New Year’s Day,” Durham said.

Being back on the court wasn’t just fun, but it felt like old times for everyone running up and down it. Durham said anytime you get to play in front of your friends it’s a good thing.

Before it was time for Durham to line up on the court one more time, he reflected on his hard work of bringing everyone together. 

“It feels good, the chance to get to play and then the chance to do something good for somebody else is a good feeling,” he said.