10th Annual Franklin Regional - Clelian Heights Basketball Game

January 17, 2020

Everybody Wins at 10th Annual Franklin Regional - Clelian Heights Basketball Game

The Franklin Regional boys and girls basketball teams both play in very competitive conferences, and they know the importance of winning every game on their schedule. But there is one game on their schedule every year that's a guaranteed winner. It's the game they host for the team from the Clelian Heights School for Exceptional Children in Greensburg.

Today, January 17, 2020, was Clelian Heights Day at Franklin Regional High School. It's an annual event, now in the 10th year, that celebrates a tradition that brings the two schools together over a game of basketball.

It began in 2011, when Franklin Regional basketball teams held a basketball clinic at Clelian Heights facllities where the Panthers would work with the Clelian Heights athletes on basketball skills. The Clelian Heights team would then visit the Panthers' gym to play an evening exhibition game in front of the Franklin Regional crowd during halftime of the varsity games.

In recent years, the game time was moved to be held during school hours. The team from Clelian Heights now travels to Murrysville on a January afternoon where they play their game over two 7-minute halves, in front of the entire staff and student body at the high school. At today's game, the Crusaders' cheerleaders performed a halftime routine, and a three-point shooting contest was held with Franklin Regional girls and boys basketball players pairing up with Crusaders players. All to the cheers coming from the packed bleachers, full of their enthusiastic supporters.

Following the game, and as they do every year, the Franklin Regional boys and girls basketball boosters organizations presented a donation of $1,000 to Clelian Heights to help with their athletic budget. Over the years, in excess of $10,000 has been donated to support this worthy cause.

It's a special relationship, between two special athletic communities, with a special purpose, that's centered around a game of basketball.

It's one game on the schedule every year that, at the end of the game, both teams are big winners.

For more information on the good things happening at Clelian Heights School for Exceptional Children, visit www.clelianheights.org

(Please enjoy the photos below from today's event, and the additional photos in our photo gallery link below, which has been opened up for free downloads.)