Angela Mendola, the mother of senior basketball player Ariana Mendola, appeared at the Jan. 18-19 Girls’ Night Out fundraising event as a symbol of strength and resilience. She has been cancer free for five years after being diagnosed with breast cancer.

“It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life,” Mendola said of her mom. “Everyone got to see what a fighter she is.”

For the last five years, GNO has shined a spotlight on breast cancer research by supporting the Kay Yow Fund, an organization that focuses on cancer research, especially breast cancer.

Event creator, coordinator , and World History teacher Whitt Jones said he got the idea for GNO when he was the girls’ varsity coach.

“The idea came to me after I saw some college teams doing a pink-out for cancer research,” Jones said. “I wanted my team to get more involved in something like that.”

From its humble beginnings with just one game between two local teams, the event has grown into a regional event. This year 27 teams from Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina and Tennessee competed in 15 games during the event.

It was highlighted by 31 girls who have committed to Division-I schools. Two of the athletes, Kaela Davis from Buford High School and Diamond DeShields from Norcross High School, are ranked second and third in the nation, respectively. Lady Panther Alli Jones was chosen as the freshman MVP of the tournament, Whitt Jones said.

“It was a really exciting and rewarding experience,” Alli Jones said. “My favorite part was being able to play for such a good cause and to wear so much pink.”

The exciting games on the court drew hundreds of fans to the stands.

“I am guessing about 800 people attended the event,” Whitt Jones said. “After paying off some of the bills, about $8,000 are going to the Kay Yow Fund.”

The money was not the only part of the two-day event that mattered to the boys and girls basketball players involved in making sure the activities ran smoothly.

“It not only represents a good cause,” senior basketball player Alex Pitts said, “it’s a good time that you get to spend with your teammates, and I always have fun.”

In addition to the basketball games, several other events occurred off court. One of the most popular was the Fan Cam. Jones said he asked volunteer photographers to roam around the gym taking pictures of fans decked out in pink clothing and participating in activities.

“We also had human bobble-heads walking around,” Whitt Jones said. “Everyone enjoyed taking pictures with them.”

Several school organizations also contributed to GNO’s success. Some members of Beta Club provided tasty sweets for a bake sale run by the varsity and JV basketball cheerleaders.

“Students signed up to bring baked goods and other foods,” Beta Club sponsor Kelly Rock said. “Others helped in the concession stand or wherever else they were needed.”

“About 30 students volunteered to do these jobs to keep the tournament running smoothly,” sophomore volunteer coordinator and Beta Club member Mitch Pattison said.

The girls’ and boys’ basketball teams also helped to ensure that all visiting teams knew what was going on and where they were supposed to be, Whitt Jones said.

“We were each assigned a team to escort to the locker and hospitality rooms,” Alli Jones said. “The team also helped out around the gym with whatever needed to be done.”

The Lady Panthers played in two games during the event. They lost both but by close margins to AAAAAA schools. Northside-Columbus and Archer high schools usually compete against larger private schools.

“We played competitively against two pretty good teams who will make it to the state tournament,” girls’ varsity coach Shane Ratliff said.