Chester Clippers Basketball Senior Night

By Terry Thomas

If you are in the area, I highly recommend you make your way to the Fred Pickett Gymnasium on Thursday, February 10 as we honor our senior basketball players. The team will be playing their final regular season game at the Clip Joint and will take the time for a curtain call before the start of the Varsity game for the student athletes that has given so much to the program.

The team will be hosting Del Val League opponent - Academy Park Knights. The game is open to all spectators. Don't miss the opportunity to support your team. The team is currently on a nine-game win streak and a 40-game Del Val League win streak.

Being honored will be Olayinka Itabiyi, Isaiah Freeman and Qadir Lowrie along with special recognition to Edward "Lil Ricky" Harmon and Jermere Clark. 

Olayinka "Yinks" Itabiyi is completing his third season with the Clippers where his teams have a record of 51-10. They have won three undefeated Del Val League Championships and are the reigning District-1 Champions. Yinks is currently carrying a 3.5 GPA. 

Isaiah Freeman and Qadir Lowrie are completing their second season with the team. Their teams have a 27-6 record, they too are reigning District-1 Champs and have won two undefeated Del Val League Championships. Isaiah carries a 3.5 GPA and Qadir carries a 3.0 GPA.

Edward "Lil Ricky" Harmon (#35) and Jermere Clark (#40) were members of the 2019-2020 Clipper team but tragically had their seasons shortened due to gun violence. The two young men were playing basketball outside Ed's house just before coming to practice back in March 2020 when a shooter opened fire on the boys. Unfortunately, Edward did not survive and Jermere had his career ended as he now sits in a wheel chair. At Chester you are never a "former Clipper", you are a "Clipper for Life". At the conclusion of practice and before we leave the locker room at the end of each game; we end it with "1-2-3 Chester; 4-5-6 Family". This is not just a saying, "It Is Real".

These two young men have a special place in our hearts and we could not let their senior season go by without including them in this special celebration of the Class of 2022. I hope you can take the time to come celebrate these young men.

Triple Header:  Freshman - 3:45 pm, JV - 5:30 pm, Varsity - 7:00 pm