PHILADELPHIA – Five Patriot League men's basketball programs are joining together to partner with Philadelphia Youth Basketball (PYB) to host a day-long public community event at the Alan Horwitz "Sixth Man Center" on Saturday, Sept. 28. The league institutions participating include Army, Bucknell, Colgate, Lafayette, and Lehigh. 

The event, which is free to attend, will include morning skills and drills training sessions with student-athletes and coaches from each institution, media availability, and open practices and scrimmages throughout the afternoon. At least 170 children ages 10 to 13 are expected to attend. PYB coaches will have the opportunity to learn from the Patriot League coaches at a panel, where they will discuss building team chemistry, player-coach relationships, and developing players on and off the court.

"We are so excited to be working with Patriot League teams to provide a clinic for PYB young people to learn more about what it means to be a student-athlete," said Randy Butler, Vice President of Program Operations and Impact at PYB. "Our youth are always looking up to and aspiring to be like the Patriot League players. They are role models for our youth and their willingness to spend time with our community goes beyond the game."

Philadelphia Youth Basketball
Philadelphia Youth Basketball (PYB), a non-profit organization, leverages the iconic game of basketball to deliver life-changing opportunities and experiences. Built of, by, for, and with the communities we serve, PYB provides a safe, nurturing environment for young people to build the skill-sets and mindsets they need to succeed on the court and in their education, careers, and lives.

Alan Horwitz "Sixth Man" Center
Located in the Nicetown neighborhood of North Philadelphia, the 100,000 square foot Alan Horwitz "Sixth Man" Center is a world-class facility and a space for thousands of young people and a resource for the community, transforming lives for decades to come. 

Army West Point Men's Basketball Coach Kevin Kuwik
"This is a great chance for our program and fellow Patriot League members to be the first to take advantage of this new NCAA rule allowing intersquad scrimmages to be held off campus and open to the public. When combined with this community service opportunity with the Philly Youth Basketball organization, I believe this will be an outstanding all-around experience for the young men in our program."

Bucknell Men's Basketball Coach John Griffin III
"The Bucknell men's basketball team is excited to join Colgate, Lafayette, Lehigh, and Army in a unique partnership with the PYB team at the Alan Horwitz 'Sixth Man' Center. This event, which combines serving the Philadelphia youth community with a preseason college basketball showcase, is truly one-of-a-kind. The Sixth Man Center is a beacon of hope in Philadelphia, offering educational and athletic opportunities to the city's youth. Featuring a clinic, a preseason media session, and 90 minutes of simultaneous practice for each team under one roof, this event is groundbreaking. It also reflects the core values of our institutions and the Patriot League. With college hoops around the corner, this will be another way to engage in the loyal and passionate fan base of Bucknell and the other league teams."

Colgate Men's Basketball Coach Matt Langel
"We always talk about the game being bigger than us. This is another example of all that basketball can do for people. This is the first time we'll have an off-campus open practice where a number of schools can share the same venue. When you combine it with the philanthropic opportunity to do a joint clinic for kids of a different community, there has never been an event that combines all these things."Lafayette Men's Basketball Coach Mike McGarvey
"The opportunity to join several Patriot League programs adding to the vision of preparing our student-athletes to be leaders and make meaningful contributions to society is very exciting for Lafayette men's basketball. This event will not only provide a platform for our players to be showcased publicly for the first time this season in a practice setting, but will also hold a service component of striving to help the young people that PYB serves on a daily basis. We hope our local College Hill alumni and supporters will attend and make it a special day for our team, the Patriot League and PYB."

Lehigh Men's Basketball Coach Dr. Brett Reed
"Lehigh basketball is pleased to be able to participate in this new initiative. Our team will have the opportunity to compete against each other in a scrimmage format at a location off campus. The Philadelphia Sixth Man Center was selected by league coaches and their positive work with community youth has been impressive. Joining their programming and providing a skills clinic conducted by our student-athletes is a great way to invest into others and serve a community."