OGDENSBURG -- The 4th Michael Pavelski Alumni Basketball Tournament was held recently and raised nearly $2,000 to purchase gift cards for patients and their families at the Richard E. Winter Cancer Treatment Center, Ogdensburg.

The cards are to help the afflicted and their loved ones pay for needed commodities such as medicine, gas and groceries.

Twelve teams from across the North Country competed at the tournament, which is in memory of Michael Pavelski, who was treated at the Winter center and died of the disease at 38.

In a news release, the event's organizers expressed gratitude to sponsors Mort Backus and Sons, Evans Acres LLC, Waddington Sewing Center, Red Bull Energy Drink, Great Northern Printing, Judy Bush, Rashmi Jaitly and the Pavelski Family.

They also noted that Kyle Fennell, John Free, Henry LaQuier, Michael Luckie, Mark Lyon, Stu Marquart, Darrel McDonald, Jimmy Myers, Wade Reid and Scott Thornhill worked the event as referees for little or no pay.

The group also credits J.C.’s River Run Bar and Grill, The Kitchen at Iroquois Farm, and the Seaway Smokehouse and Diner for donating gift certificates and Butch Prashaw of Canton Price Chopper for donating bottled water for the players.