‘For a few days, it’s almost as if he’s back’

MONROE — He’s been gone for more than 10 years, but for a couple of upcoming weekends, Scott Harris plans to do what he’s been doing for a long time: Bring Tom Dowd “back to life” through the running of a basketball tournament named in his honor.

The 10th annual Tom Dowd Memorial Basketball Tournament - named in honor of Dowd who was killed in the 9/11 attacks - begins the weekend of May 25 for girls; and June 1 for boys.

“The “Dowd,” as it’s called, is considered one of the most popular tournaments in the Northeast, with more than 175 teams participating.

Dowd - the father of three children who was a bond trader for Canter Fitzgerald - volunteered to become the first coach of the Orange County Crusaders AAU Basketball Club in 1997, coaching its 13U team.

Scholarship fund After his death at age 37 in the World Trade Center, the club created a scholarship fund in his name for area high school seniors who participate in their schools’ basketball programs.

Organizers said the tournament - named in his honor - is a memorial to his life and family. Proceeds provide funding for those scholarships.

“We’re a popular tournament and we go thee extra mile to make it an event, rather just playing in a basketball tournament,” said Scott Harris, tournament director and Monroe resident. “The games are great, match-ups are competitive, we have certified reps, and we have teams from Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. It’s a fun day. Walking into one of our gyms, to me, is like a gambler walking into a casino … score clocks buzzing, whistles blowing, people yelling … we try to provide all of that to make it a great experience.”

‘Easy to forget’ But Harris never forgets that besides the hoop fun, the event is an opportunity to keep Dowd’s memory alive.

“There’s posters everywhere of him,” said Harris. “There’s pictures, there’s T-shirts. He was our club’s first coach; he was my neighbor. I’m 54-years-old and the one thing I know is that it’s very easy to forget. Time just erodes memories and we tend to forget. “

But Harris quickly added: “He (Dowd) loved basketball. It was his life’s passion, other than his wife and kids. I thought, let’s do something fun and for a couple of days, we’ll try to bring him back. Now, his name has become synonymous with this tournament.”

The girls tournament will run May 25 to 27 at different venues throughout Orange County with approximately 40 teams expected to take part.

The larger boys tournament will take place June 1 to 3 with approximately 125 teams expected to play.

The cost for each team’s participation is $375, which includes playing in a minimum of three games.

Harris is proud of the tournament’s reputation and how “Dowd” T-shirts can be seen in uncommon places along the East Coast.

Although nothing special is planned to mark the 10th tournament, Harris is simply looking to have as many teams sign-up as possible, with as many people attending the games and having a good time.

“Mostly, we want to get people to come down and hang out,” said Harris. “For a few days, it’s almost as if he’s back. He would think this was pretty cool.”

By Nancy Kriz