New Canaan faculty taking on Harlem Rockets

The Outback Teen Center is hosting its annual March Madness Hoops event at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 26, in the New Canaan High School gymnasium.

The event draws grandparents, parents and students together to root on school faculty members as they take on the Harlem Rockets, who combine ball-handling skills with family-friendly comedy.

The Rockets incorporate the audience, especially children, into the show, meet fans and give autographs at halftime and after the game. Team members will be visiting each of the elementary schools and the middle school, as well as at the teen center, before the evening's game.

In this special event to raise money for the center, faculty members from Saxe, East, West and South schools will face the Harlem Rockets. The team includes Brett Gillan, Ben Young, Patrick Mignault, Shannon Brown, Schuyler Livingston, Katie Bakes, Michael Evans and Mike Patrona from Saxe Middle School; Tom Dempsey, Steve Dayton and Britt Bothe from East School; Bobby Rushton and Darren Bruce from West School; and Russ Bombard and Kristen Walsh from South School.

Tim Brown, president of Brown, Thayer, Shedd Insurance Inc., is the major sponsor. Other sponsors include TD Securities, Karl Chevrolet, Club Sandwich and Joe's Pizza.

Tickets are $10, $40 for a family of five. Special packages for preferred seating are available on a limited basis. Tickets can be purchased at Outback, behind Town Hall, or online at www.newcanaanoutback.org.