The 2007 Net Gain Tournament was our biggest and most competitive Tournament yet! On March 15th, over 200 high school athletes and corporate executives took to the courts at the Park Avenue Armory for some tough basketball competition. The event raised over $700,000 for Youth, I.N.C. and its basketball program with 33 New York City public school teams. Thanks to the support of generous contributors, over 400 student athletes will play, strive, and excel on their high schools’ basketball teams in the 2007-2008 season.

This year's Tournament brought together twenty-four teams of corporate and student players in round robin play. The games were competitive from start to finish. Knicks alumni John Starks, Walt Frazier, Dwayne Pearl Washington, Jerome Williams, Buck Williams, Johnny Newman, Mel Davis, Cal Ramsey and The New York Liberty’s Teresa Weatherspoon coached and cheered the teams on from the sidelines.

CNBC clip from the 2007 Tournament
Click here to view

This year also marked the first “Private Equity vs. Hedge Fund All-Star Game” – where the Private Equity team proved they have the strongest assets by winning with a final score of 30-17. The intense game was featured on CNBC, and covered by a number of other media outlets including Reuters and The Deal.

After 5 hours of competitive play, the UBS and East Side High School/Manhattan Village Academy team won over RR Donnelley and Beacon High School team in the final match. During the evening’s halftime show, the attendees and players enjoyed a performance by the Knicks City Dancers, immediately followed by a half-court shoot-off, during which one high school student made the shot and each school was granted a portion of the funds pledged by the Youth, I.N.C. Board for the half-court shot competition.

On April 9th, the high school champions will reconvene at halftime of the Knicks vs. Pistons game at Madison Square Garden for the Youth, I.N.C. Night at the Knicks Championship Game. The high school students will be joined again by corporate players where they will battle it out for the Championship Title.

Thanks to all our corporate donors for making the Net Gain Tournament an incredible success!

Event Co-Chairs

Robert L. Berner, CVC Capital Partners

Ronald E. Blaylock, Blaylock & Company, Inc.

Richard J. Schnall, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Inc.

Ted Virtue, MidOcean Partners

Edward M. Yorke, Credit Suisse

For more information about the Net Gain Tournament please contact:

Amanda Nelson: anelson@youthinc-usa.org