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Kremmling team prepares to battle Harlem Ambassadors on the hardwood

Katie Looby
klooby@skyhidailynews.com
Grand County, Colorado
Courtesy Photo
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The Kremmling Cliffjumpers are gearing up to take on the Harlem Ambassador basketball team during a competitive and comical performance next month.

The “internationally acclaimed” Harlem Ambassadors offer a unique brand of Harlem-style basketball, featuring high-flying slam dunks, dazzling ball handling tricks and on-court comedy routines.

“At our shows, we want the kids to know that they’re part of our team too,” coach Lade Majic stated. “We invite as many kids as we can to come sit on the bench, have a front row seat during the show and get involved in all of the fun stuff we do.”



The game will run like a regular game with four quarters, and an autograph session will take place afterward.

The Kremmling Cliffjumpers team includes four women and 16 men. Bill Wheatley will be the referee. All members of the team have played or coached basketball at some point in their lives, but none played professionally.



Juan Evans II, marketing/business development manager for Credit Union of the Rockies, will join two of his co-workers on the court. Evans played for his Arvada High School basketball team. He and his CEO, Michael Kerr of Broomfield, and compliance officer, Tyler Hertel of Lakewood, have been getting ready for the event by practicing at the community rec center.

“We are excited,” he said. “It will be fun to see grown adults running up and down the court trying to keep up with these all stars.”

The first and third quarters of the game will be played seriously, and the second and fourth will be the comical and fun quarters.

“I think it was neat that the Chamber was able to put this together,” Evans said. “Our CEO’s wife is coming up with their kids.”

The Kremmling Credit Union will close at 3:30 p.m., so the staff can help prepare for the game.

“We thought it was a great opportunity to support the community … We encourage everyone to come out and see the event,” Evans said. “It should be fun and entertaining.”

Each player was required to obtain a minimum of $200 in pledges.

“We’ve each raised over our $200 minimum contribution, but the Chamber is always looking for more donations,” Evans said.

This event will benefit the Kremmling Area Chamber of Commerce, Cliffview Assisted Living Center and West Grand Education Foundation.

This is the first year the Kremmling Chamber of Commerce will host the Harlem Ambassadors.

“The community is really on board with this event and we’re looking for it to be a successful event,” said Executive Director Kacey Beres.

She said it will be a positive, family event. The Chamber is encouraging people to buy tickets in advance. Beres has 1,000 tickets available.

“I want the place packed; it’s just going to be an awesome night,” she said. “I hope everyone will turn out. It will be a unique event the chamber has never done before. The whole community can enjoy this event.”

West Grand Community Education Foundation will sell concessions. There will also be a raffle for an autographed team basketball, and the winner will be announced at end of the third quarter.

Sponsors include the Kremmling Chamber of Commerce, Blue Valley Ranch and Omni Real Estate-Carrie George.

“I believed in the event so much that I knew there was no way it couldn’t be successful,” Beres said.

” Katie Looby covers government and education for the Sky-Hi Daily News. You may reach her at 887-3334 ext. 19601 or klooby@skyhidailynews.com.


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