Green, green, neon-green predominated at the “Hoopin’ for Tommy B.” event Jan. 8 at Sartell High School.
In honor of Tom Bearson, hundreds of people sported neon-green T-shirts, that color being the favorite of Bearson, who was murdered in the Fargo-Moorhead area in 2014, shortly after starting his college career at the University of North Dakota, Fargo. Bearson was named Most Valuable Player when he played for the Sartell High School Sabres in 2013-14. He loved the game of basketball ever since he was a toddler.
The Jan. 9 event raised money for the Tom Bearson Foundation, set up in his honor by family and friends to promote local basketball and school-campus safety, among other good causes. All of the neon-green T-shirts were sold, and a silent auction raised nearly $1,000.
Bearson’s Sabre-blue jersey was displayed proudly at the event, which, naturally, included a basketball game: the Sabres vs. Rocori. Rocori won the game 77-70.