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A 1991 graduate of Western Albemarle High, D’Alessandro left college basketball after seven years of coaching, including one year at the University of Virginia, to lay the foundation for the BD Basketball School, a hoops curriculum that identifies key areas of skill and character development.

“Why comeback? Well, I felt there was a need to develop basketball in this area,” D’Alessandro explained. “I wanted to support the high school coaches in Central Virginia and help develop student-athletes on and off the court.”

Today, BD Basketball is a recognized non-profit that offers an off-season training program comprised of camps, mini-camps, clinics and weekly courses through private and group instruction.

“We want to captivate Central Virginia’s basketball community,” said D’Alessandro, who played college hoops at Providence College under Pete Gillen before graduating in 1995. “Basketball is a truly unifying game. All you need is a hoop and a basket.”

In conjunction with CVaSports.com, D’Alessandro and BD Basketball School will host the first-ever Central Virginia Basketball Honors Banquet, an opportunity to spotlight student-athletes in CVa by recognizing them at a formal setting at the Omni Hotel in Charlottesville.

On the evening of Monday, May 5, all the area high schools in Central Virginia will be honored. A handful of individual awards will be bestowed, including:

A pair of “Character Achievement” awards for one respective varsity male and female student-athlete.

“Coach of the Year” recognition on both the male and female side.

An “Inspiration/Comeback” award for one student-athlete.

A pair of “Scholar Athlete” awards for one respective varsity male and female student-athlete.

“We’re going to bring the Central Virginia basketball community together in a first-class manner,” D’Alessandro explained. “This is a one-of-a-kind event. We’re galvanizing the basketball community and bringing together student-athletes in one particular sport. This has never been done before.”

All those involved with planning the banquet are excited and privileged to have Gene Corrigan, the one-time NCAA President, as the keynote speaker. Corrigan served as the commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference from 1987-1997. He also was the athletics director at Virginia, Notre Dame and Washington and Lee.

“Gene Gorrigan [is] a man who has exemplified character in our area for over four decades,” D’Alessandro said. “We are privileged to have him as our keynote speaker.”

For more information, please click BD BASKETBALL or check back with us on CVASPORTS.COM. We will continue publishing information on what should be a memorable evening!

Downtown Athletic and CVaSports.com are proud to honor coaches at all levels. Ben D'Alessandro, as the "Coach of the Week" recipient, you are invited to visit Downtown Athletic Store in Seminole Square Shopping Center to pick up a Russell Athletic polo courtesy of CVaSports.com and Downtown Athletic.

Posted by Jerry Miller on April 7, 2008 10:15 PM | Permalink

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