Memorial tournament honors Larry Cubas 

By Jason Cohen

September 12, 2008

The Shimon and Sara Birnbaum Jewish Community Center in Bridgewater will hold its first ever Larry Cubas Memorial 3 on 3 Tournament on Sunday, Sept. 28. 

The tournament is in support of the Larry Cubas Endowment Scholarship Fund established by fellow JCC basketball members and the JCC. The tournament is dedicated to Larry Cubas, a longtime member of the JCC who passed away at the age of 53, on Feb. 10. 

Neal Kreitman, a resident of Hillsborough and a JCC member, who played basketball with Larry for many years at the JCC, said Cubas was a giving person who donated a great deal of money to various organizations.

"Larry was a coach, an athlete, a mentor, a father, a husband, a businessman, a competitor, and a good person," Kreitman said.

Cubas was a gym rat and a constant fixture on the JCC basket ball court, Kreitman said. In addition, to always playing basketball and coaching at the high school level, he ran many basketball camps for kids as well. 

"He was an all around good person," Kreitman said.

Cubas suddenly collapsed on the floor during halftime of one game, Kreitman said.

"It was shocking, but since he was strong I figured he was just tired and he would get up," Kreitman said.

In May, Kreitman along with other members of the JCC and Cubas' family started to plan the tournament and the scholarship. The JCC has been a great help in organizing the tournament, Kreitman said.

"The scholarship is given to two seniors, one guy, and one girl who are members of the JCC and are good leaders in and out of school," Kreitman said.

The JCC is hoping to have 1,000 people there for the tournament, but as of now they just don't have enough people signed up, Kreitman said.

"It's a great tournament; it's exactly what Larry was all about," Kreitman said. "It's great how they are honoring him, while at the same time sad."

Most people that are going to play in the tournament knew Larry, he said. 

"Of course, it's difficult... but time heals all wounds," Kreitman said. 

The tournament will be comprised of four divisions: men over 35, men between 18 and 35, women, and children and young adults that are defined as anyone 18 years old and younger and in high school. Youth teams can be made up of male, female, or any combination of players.

Everyone participating in the tournament must check in between 8 and 9 a.m. All players must present photo identification when checking in. The entrance fee for every three person team is $105 and for every four person team it is $135. Each team will play at least three games. Also, each team member receives a game shirt.

The winners in each division will receive: a championship plaque, a championship polo shirt, and have their team listed on a championship plaque displayed.

Also taking place will be a 3-point shooting contest that is open to everyone and it is only $10 a person to participate. Registration for it will take place as the same time as the check in for the tournament.

Paige Silberfein, the program director and the camp director for the JCC, said Cubas was in many different basketball leagues within the JCC.

"He was very active in the JCC, he was there two to three times a week playing basketball," Silberfein said. "Many basketball players have donated money to the fund."

Richard Kaner, a resident of West Orange, was a close friend of Cubas for a longtime.

"We first met in 1977, when he came out of Dartmouth University because his coach at Dartmouth University Gary Walters contacted me and said Larry was looking for help in playing basketball in Europe," Kaner said. 

According to the JCC, while at Dartmouth University he was a four-time Eastern College Athletic Conference Player of the Week and the first 1,000-point scorer at Curtis High School in Staten Island as well.

Kaner said he was considered a very good player, but there were restrictions on European basketball teams that allowed only one or two foreign players on a team because they wanted tall players to play inside and Larry was a guard.

"Even though he never did make it playing in Europe, he always kept his hand in sports by coaching basketball at Franklin High School from 2001 to 2003 and Bound Brook high school from 1996 to 2000," Kaner said.

However, he was able to participate in a few tournaments in Europe, Kaner said.

He was from Staten Island and he moved to Bridgewater in 1990, Kaner told The Jewish State.

"He was down to earth, personable, low key, intelligent, had a great deal of common sense, a great friend, and very likeable," Kaner said. 

"Furthermore, it was really tough on his mother after losing her other son [in the Sept. 11 terror attacks]," Kaner added.

The autopsy on him it was revealed that he died from sarcoidosis, Kaner said. According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, "sarcoidosis involves inflammation that produces tiny lumps of cells in various organs in your body."

It can affect the skin, eyes, liver, spleen, brain, nerves, heart, tear glands, salivary glands bones, and joints. Sarcoidosis is not a form of cancer and there is no known way to prevent it.

"It was a huge shock, because he was a reasonably healthy guy and nobody knew he was sick," Kaner said. "I don't think he could have been playing basketball if he knew he was sick."

In 1973, he won the Warren Jacques Award for the most outstanding high school basketball player award and while attending Dartmouth he was an All Ivy guard, Kaner said.

However, he was successful off the court as well.

"After graduating from Dartmouth University, he worked in the banking industry for 29 years," Kaner said.

He climbed to the top of the business ladder, when he became the senior vice president of Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. in New York City, Kaner said.  

"He started a scholarship for his brother, and the one started for him is a great way to keep alive his great life," Kaner said. "He was always trying to help people."