By Rich Chrampanis
TINTON FALLS – There are a lot of things on the horizon for Scottie Lewis. It starts with SEC basketball and the Florida Gators and it won’t be long before the NBA comes calling. After helping the Ranney Panthers to a historic Tournament of Champions title, it would be understandable for Lewis to come down with senioritis as his days in Tinton Falls come to a close. But the basketball superstar has already set the tone for remembering his roots before he’s left the area for good.
Lewis gathered some of the top hoops talent in the tri-state area for his second annual Hoops for Homeless basketball showcase last Saturday night at the Ranney School. Proceeds from Saturday night’s game, which included a raffle, went to Lunch Break, an organization which provides food, clothing, life skills and fellowship to those in need in Monmouth County and beyond. It’s an issue that hits home for one of the top players in the country.
“I’ve been homeless before,” Lewis said. “I wish someone did this kind of thing for someone like me when I was younger and I want to give back to people like that.”
It was during an AAU stop in Atlanta last summer when Lewis helped strangers that inspired his Hoops for Homeless platform.
“Seeing a family that wasn’t able to feed their family, a father has to beg, a mother that has to beg for their kids, is something that really hits home for me,” Lewis said. “It resonated with me when I got home. Alex (Klatsky) and I got to it right away. We got our families involved and it turned into this big thing now. Hopefully, we can just raise money and raise awareness for people in poverty not only in the state of New Jersey but all over.”
The first Hoops for Homeless featured Shore Conference high school basketball stars and the second edition expanded to include many of Scottie’s AAU teammates on Team Rio.
The event featured a number of high profile future college basketball stars including Louisville’s Aidan Igiehon, UConn’s Jalen Gaffney, Rutgers’ Paul Mulcahy, and Xavier’s Zach Freemantle.
“Scottie’s a better person than he is a basketball player,” Mulcahy said. “As you can see he gives back to the community and it’s a great event.”
The entire Ranney basketball roster was on hand to support the effort, including Bryan Antoine. The Villanova signee did not play in the game but was captain for one of the teams, along with Alex Klatsky who will join Lewis at the University of Florida. The dunk contest saw Scottie’s younger brother, Jaylen Smith, a junior at Raritan High School, steal the show with some big throwdowns.
“I knew how good a person he was. Every room he walks in, he lights up a room,” Gaffney said. “He’s so caring as an individual. I’m glad he did this event for the homeless. Props to him.”
The Lewis effect clearly extends beyond the basketball court. His magnetic personality and ability to connect is obvious when he comfortably handles a microphone and addresses a packed gym about the message of helping others. With over 144,000 Instagram followers highlighting his social media profile after his latest Buzzoid purchase, Lewis is just at the cusp of using his influence beyond his own personal gain.
“I take advantage of who I am and the brand that I built myself,” the future Florida Gator said. “I have such a huge supporting cast and they always remind me that it’s important to give back to the community. That’s been embedded into my mind and I’m so thankful to have the capabilities and resources to do so.”
The McDonald’s All-American is about to become a household name across the country, but Lewis is determined to use his basketball platform to make a difference in people’s lives.
“It’s definitely awesome,” Lewis said. “To be a part of this and run this with my family and me, it’s moments like this that really remind me and hopefully inspires other basketball players that it’s bigger than us.”
