A high school basketball state championship will be determined on Saturday afternoon in Buffalo when Canisius takes on Fordham Prep of New York City.
But that's not all that's on the line.
Canisius plays Fordham Prep for the New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association Class A championship at 3 p.m. Saturday at Erie Community College's Flickinger Athletic Center in downtown Buffalo.
This will be the final game of the season for the teams, who both won state semifinals last week.
And while the teams already have everything to play for, the presidents of the two Jesuit high schools – Canisius' Fr. David Ciancimino, S.J., and Fordham Prep's Fr. Christopher Devron, S.J. – have engaged in a friendly food wager, similar to those that have become popular between civic leaders during professional sports playoffs:
The losing school will have to buy the winner a big meal.
If Canisius wins, Fordham Prep will send the Crusaders a dozen Italian 'combo' sandwiches from Mike's Arthur Avenue Italian Deli in the Bronx.
If Fordham Prep wins, Canisius will send the Rams 50 chicken wings from Eddie Brady's Bar, 97 Genesee St., Buffalo.
Here's the
Fordham Prep Athletics Twitter account's tweet of the wager:
Eddie Brady's Bar is a favorite spot of the team and coach
Kyle Husband '96. Eddie Brady's is run by Pat Brady '77, who played basketball for the Crusaders, as did his two sons, Pat '06 and Sean '09.
When
Shane Cercone '23 was interviewed at courtside at Long Island's Hofstra University following the Crusaders' state semifinal win over Holy Trinity, he was asked about the best place for wings in Buffalo, he answered, "Eddie Brady's."
The wager is certainly a most friendly one, as both Canisius and Fordham Prep are Jesuit schools who emphasize excellence in education, a devotion to service for others and
cura personalis – "care for the whole person." The institutions are two of 87 high schools in the Jesuit Schools Network.
Tickets for Saturday's game are
available online for $7; tickets at the door will be $10.
The championship game will be livestreamed by WNYAthletics as well as Varsity Media.
The Class A championship will be preceded by the 1 p.m. NYSCHSAA Class B final between St. Mary's of Lancaster and Cathedral Prep of Queens. Tickets are good for both games.
