Dearborn, Hamtramck compete in charity basketball to help earthquake victims rebound ahead of Ramadan
(CBS DETROIT) - It may be March Madness, but the cities of Dearborn and Hamtramck were not only caught talking trash during Friday night's second annual Charity Basketball Game, but they also competed to help other countries in need.
Setting the tone early was Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud who had a few friendly words for the mayor not on his team.
"You know, I don't see you. You're not a challenge. We welcome you to our city but you are going to go home crying. We are going to send a box of tissues," Hammoud said.
In response, all Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib wanted Hammoud to remember was last year's box score.
"I have all the respect for them, but I know we're going to win this again. We beat them last year," Ghalib said.
Bragging rights on who can bank in the most buckets at this year's charity game would be nice, but Omar Thabet, event organizer and owner of OZmedia, says competing to help countries rebound ahead of the fasting month of Ramadan is what this game was all about.
"This is a charity basketball game. All the money is going to Yemen, Turkey and Syria. And, you know, we're just trying to do our best to raise as much money as we can," Thabet said.
Thabet says last year's game helped raise $8,000 for the country of Yemen, a goal that left Hammoud looking for a repeat this year.
"It's a beautiful game just to raise money for people in Yemen and Syria and Turkey, for the survivors of the earthquakes," Hammoud says.
Ghalib says he could not agree more.
"This is the best example to come together in support of people in need," Ghalib says.
And while one team can only be crowned the title, win or loss, Thabet says everyone walks away a winner.
"The winners of today are the countries that we're raising money for. That's all that matters," he says.
Dearborn took home the win this year with a final score of 45-36.
And while many say both mayors are the MVPs of their respective cities, neither Hammoud nor Ghalib were crowned for their on-court performance.