Hunter Johnson played golf and junior varsity basketball at Jamestown during the 2023-24 school year. P-J file photo by Tim Frank

The text from Jaysean Paige arrived about a month ago.

It read simply: “Give me a call when you get a chance. I want to run an idea by you, if you don’t mind.”

I immediately obliged, and the former Jamestown High School and West Virginia University standout and current Puerto Rican League basketball star asked me what I thought of his idea to spearhead a Red & Green men’s basketball alumni game.

My answer was a resounding “yes.”

Kayla Crosby of #IntegrityFirst Inc. and the Jamestown Jackals agreed.

“Jaysean actually called me a month and a half ago,” Crosby said. “He’d been hooping with some of the local guys and said, ‘Hey, what do you think about having a charity alumni game?’ and I thought it was an awesome idea.

“There’s a lot of support for Jaysean and Maceo (Wofford, another former JHS star) locally and I thought it would be cool to have a Team Wofford versus Team Paige alumni competition.”

Besides the anticipated good-natured rivalry on the court, Paige wanted to be sure that proceeds went to an important cause, which he and Crosby determined would be the Hunter Johnson family.

Hunter, who played on Jamestown’s junior varsity basketball team last season, is the son of Blake Johnson, another former Red & Green star from the 1990s. The teenager, who is also a member of Jamestown’s golf team, is undergoing cancer treatment for the second time after beating it in his younger years.

The alumni game, pitting the Red Team (old alumni) against the Black Team (young alumni), will be held Saturday at Jamestown High School’s McElrath Gymnasium. Hosted by #IntegrityFirst Inc., warmups will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the alumni game at 6:30 p.m. The community is welcome. Admission is a $5 donation. All proceeds will be donated to the Johnson family.

“It’s really good that the community comes together,” Wofford said. “It’s good to show love and support. Blake and I have been friends longer than I can remember, and our kids are friends, so anything we can do to give back to him and Hunter, we’re much obliged to do.”

Joining Wofford on the Red Team are Blake Johnson, James Rojas, Ryan Holdridge, Tre Frank, Jordan Thomas, Jon Barlow, Marcus McAffee, Joseph Spencer and John LaMancuso.

The members of the Black Team are Jose Sanchez, Sean Paige, Greg Brumagin, Andre Maple, Jaral Farmer, Jonathan Brito, Elijah Rojas, Daunte Garland, Jordan Crofoot and Austin Prunty.

Honorary team members, who won’t be playing, are Barry Minsker, Carlos Rivera and Jordan White. Paige had intended to participate in the alumni game, but he recently received an invitation to play professionally in Mexico.

NOTES: The Jackals will host a free youth clinic, sponsored by UPMC Chautauqua, from 4-6 p.m. for youngsters in grades kindergarten through 12. Crosby said there are 27 people registered, but there is room for more. Athletes are encouraged to bring their own basketball and water bottle. Make sure each is labeled. Extras will be provided, if needed, she said.