Danny Green came home to Long Island on Friday night, taking advantage of the NBA Development League's all-star break to visit his old high school team, the undefeated
St. Mary's Gaels of Manhasset, and have his jersey retired.
For the 2009 Cleveland Cavaliers' draft pick and former University of North Carolina star, the pregame ceremony should have been one of total celebration and joy.
Danny Green
Photo by Ray Nelson
The night, however, took on a markedly somber tone as well. That's because visiting
Kellenberg High had just come from the wake of its popular athletic director and history teacher, Ed Solosky, who was killed in an automobile accident on Tuesday.
There was a CHSAA game to play and lives to continue living, but that didn't make it any easier on the Kellenberg players and their coach, Jack McCutcheon.
"(Solosky) was a great man," Kellenberg senior guard
Thomas Madelmayer told Newsday. "I never had him (as a teacher), but ... I'd go to him for extra help. He was always calling me for ideas for club activities. He was a big part of our lives."
A graduate of CHSAA member
Chaminade and Fairfield University, Solosky taught history at Kellenberg for 20 years. He also coached a variety of sports, and became the athletic director at the Uniondale school in 2005. He served as history department chairman and dean of men at various stages as well.
"I'm in such shock," said Kevin Buckley, a European history teacher and track coach at Kellenberg. "(Solosky) was a real gentleman. He was a wonderful athletic director who let everyone do their job and really knew how to handle people. It's a complete horror."
Solosky, 48, was killed in a three-car collision in Delaware on Tuesday. He was returning from the funeral of an aunt in Virginia when his vehicle struck two other vehicles that were stopped at a traffic light.
A resident of Westbury, Solosky is survived by his wife and two children.
A moment of silence was observed in Solosky's memory before the game.
"We were very close," Kellenberg baseball coach Chris Alfalla said. "We've been around each other and worked together for such a long time. He was a great boss, but an even better friend."
Green, a 2005 graduate of St. Mary's, returned to the school that he led to a 74-5 record as a player and three conference titles. As a senior, he gained McDonald's High School All-American honors after averaging 20 points a game, 10 rebounds, four assists and four blocked shots. He scored 1,535 points for his St. Mary's career before going on to win a NCAA championship at North Carolina as a senior in 2009.
Green with the players.
Photo by Ray Nelson
Green currently plays for the Reno Bighorns of the NBA's Development League.
St. Mary's improved to 23-0 on Friday night with an 85-61 win against Kellenberg as
Chavaughn Lewis scored 26 points and
Charles McCann added 20 for coach Bill Harkins.
The Gaels are currently ranked No. 1 in the
MaxPreps New York boys basketball Freeman Rankings.Jim Stout is the CBS MaxPreps Media Manager for the Eastern U.S. He may be reached at 845-367-2864 or at jim.stout@cbsinteractive.com.
