All-Star Labor Classic fosters friendship, memories

Ever the good teammate, Woody Redding does not want Mike Terry to shoot brick after brick come Sunday.

In fact . . .

"He can take my honor away all he wants," Redding said, pleasantly.

Redding, a senior point guard, owns a spot in history as the last guy to score for North Catholic High's basketball team. Ironically, though he was the team's shortest player, he tallied the final points on a follow with 1:13 remaining on Feb. 20 in a Catholic League quarterfinal loss to La Salle.

Now, you have to figure that Terry, a 6-1, 185-pound senior wing guard, is about to become the last guy to score while representing North.

He will get his shot, figuratively and literally, at 4 p.m. on Sunday when City meets Suburbs in the 24th annual All-Star Labor Classic at La Salle University. It will be Media vs. Organized Labor at 1 o'clock, followed by the City-Suburbs girls' game at 2. (A coupon good for $1 off the adult admission price is on next page.)

Terry already owns a scholarship, as he committed to Boston U. last July. That doesn't mean he will be any less competitive. He knows and appreciates the opportunity.

"I know a lot of famous guys from Philly have played in this Labor Classic, and that it's historical," Terry said. "I feel honored that I've been selected and I'll be out there giving my best. I saw the game a couple years ago, so I know what it means. A good amount of my family members will be there. And some North guys, too."

Plus, Terry will be running around with a future teammate.

Like Mike, Archbishop Carroll point guard DJ Irving is bound for Boston U. and, who knows, maybe the four other seniors from the Philly area also about to become Terriers will show up to watch and/or bond.

That quartet includes Roman Catholic's Anthony Mayo and three players from Friends' Central - Dominic Morris, Travis Robinson and HJ Gaskins.

"I can't say we've been hanging out, really, but we're becoming more friendly," Terry said. "We stay in touch by text messages and Facebook. We'll probably get together, to know each other even more, as our time to head up there gets closer."

Feb. 20, of course, was a while ago, but don't expect Terry to show up bloated on Sunday.

"Though the AAU season hasn't started yet, I'm still in good shape," he said. "A lot of us get together in North's gym after school to run up and down, play ball, do drills . . . I also lift weights. It's good for us to be together."

The news of North's June closing - and Cardinal Dougherty's wing guard Brandyn Wims will also be playing Sunday - blindsided everyone last Oct. 8.

The hoops Falcons had already been rocked by the departure, via transfer, of four guys who would have started or served as important subs, plus coach Mike McCarron resigned 1 week later. With former assistant Guy Moore in charge, North finished 11-12 overall in Year No. 83 of CL competition.

Along the way, there was hope, even an expectation, that the school would find a way to remain open, albeit in altered form. Not anymore.

"I really don't want the school to end like this," said Terry, who lives near Cottman and Torresdale. "With as many people who care about it, I didn't think this was possible.

"For a while around school, the mood was low. But now guys are starting to pick their heads up. They're trying to do as well as they can while they're still here and the underclassmen are just thinking about going forward at their next place.

"I'm always going to have cool memories of North. Basketballwise, it was always fun just being around the guys. We knew how to have a good time. We'd go out - the whole team - after games sometimes and just really have fun. Years from now, I'm sure I'll still get together with the guys . . . Just won't be at North."

Interestingly, though Terry said it's merely coincidence, Boston U. is where his father, also named Mike and a product of Franklin Learning Center, played his college ball.

Mike Sr. is a constant at his son's games and has been known to, um, express his thoughts.

When asked whether "demanding" is the right word to describe his dad, Mike laughed and then paused, and paused some more.

"Let me see," he said. "What word can I use . . . I know he's the right person to have for a father figure. He wants the best for me. He wants me to do all the right things. Stand up and do my schoolwork first, and also work hard at my commitment to basketball. He wants me to be better than him." *