White Mayors Can’t Jump

A May 12 celebrity basketball game raised $20,000 for Clark County Family YMCA, said executive director Eddie White.

The game featured players from the Vancouver Volcanoes and Dan Dickau and Derek Raivio, who were standouts at Prairie High School and Mountain View High School, respectively, before each starred for Gonzaga University and played pro ball.

Then there were people not known for being ballers, including Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt.

And Clark County Commissioner Steve Stuart.

Who, with his double knee braces, reminded us of a certain former Portland Trail Blazer.

Stuart said Leavitt’s team won, but only because Leavitt cheated. After a practice, Leavitt complained that Stuart’s team had an unfair height advantage. But instead of asking for the 6-foot-5 Stuart, Leavitt got Jake Carlisle, a 6’8″ player for the Volcanoes.

In an amusing twist, two of the shorter guys on the court did the tip-off. Leavitt outjumped Al Angelo III.

The event, which was photographed by Catch Me If You Can! Photography, was the first of its kind for the Clark County Family YMCA, White said.

“It was a pretty fun event,” he said. Asked to assess Leavitt’s and Stuart’s ability on the court, he said he was really impressed.

Of Stuart, 40, White said, “There’s not too many people who are going to get a rebound if he’s determined to get it. So he’s good down low.”

And Leavitt, also 40, “still has a little bit of get up and go in him,” White said.

White said there was friendly trash talk between the teams, and said there will be another game in 2012.

“It was too much fun not to do it again,” White said. “Tim and Steve will get a rematch.”