Tom Feraco Makes Fitting Return to Sideline

Coach Tom Feraco returns to the Middle Township bench on Saturday night, and it couldn't happen at a more fitting venue.

He'll make his public return to basketball when the Panthers take on Cherry Hill West at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, the final game on the first day of the Shoot Down Cancer Classic.

One of the winningest coaches in New Jersey high school basketball history stepped away in early January to undergo treatment for prostate cancer. Now, one month later, Feraco tells Press of Atlantic City reporter Mike McGarry that he's "cancer free". While he won't be the man drawing up plays and running the show for at least a handful of games, Feraco says he's just happy to be back on the sideline.

That return to normalcy, again, starts this weekend during the Shoot Down Cancer Classic in Richland. The two-day tournament, formerly known as the Olympic-Cape Challenge, features 24 of South Jersey's best high school basketball teams.

97.3 ESPN-FM has exclusive coverage of this weekend's event, including three exciting matchups live on our airwaves: Atlantic City vs. Camden (2:45 p.m. Saturday), St. Augustine Prep vs. Holy Spirit (6:00 p.m. Saturday), and Wildwood Catholic vs. Cherokee (5:30 p.m. Sunday).

Click here more on the Shoot Down Cancer Classic, and for our South Jersey High School Hoops Headquarters page & complete coverage of the 2014 High School Basketball season.

97.3 ESPN-FM would like to thank Dave Catalana and the rest of the event's organizers for welcoming Tyler Donohue and our staff this weekend. Here are the interviews from this week's edition of the show, live from the court in Richland at the Shoot Down Cancer Classic:

John Stout, Southern Regional head wrestling coach

Kevin Minnick, Courier-Post sports reporter

Scott Betson, Mainland Regional girls head basketball coach

Mike Neil, Mainland graduate & recent inductee into Mount Olive Hall of Fame

Jordan Robertson, Wildwood Catholic senior guard

John O'Kane, Press of Atlantic City sports reporter

Dave Catalana, Founder & organizer of Shoot Down Cancer Classic

It’s all right here, on The South Jersey Sports Report. Listen every Saturday, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. on 97.3 ESPN-FM or 973espn.com, and catch the expanded edition every Thursday night from 6-7 p.m.

Follow Tyler Donohue on Twitter @TDsTake