MONTVALE—Pascack Hills High School Principal Tim Weiland watched from the sideline as whistles echoed, sneakers squeaked, and cheers bounced between the walls of both the front and back gyms. Students were shouting defensive calls, teachers were officiating, families were streaming in, and three games were running at once.
“Some of the best stuff that happens in this building happens on Saturdays,” Weiland told Pascack Press, gesturing toward the packed baseline. “You see what these kids can do.”
On Saturday, Nov. 22, what they did was build a full-scale, multi-gym charity basketball tournament in honor of their friend and teammate Dren Bauta, the 16-year-old Montvale athlete who was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia earlier this year and is now in remission.
Two Pascack Hills juniors from Woodcliff Lake, Alex Friend and Jagger Rose, designed and ran the event. And they didn’t just put together a casual afternoon of pickup hoops — this was an organized, Jersey Mikes-catered competition with divisions, tiebreaker rules, semifinals, and a championship game that filled the school with energy for nearly four hours.
A tournament with lots of heart
At the entrance to each gym, students had posted hand-drawn boards, graced by balloons, detailing the entire layout of the tournament. In the Front Gym Division, teams Bibi, Cozza, and Madonick were listed with columns for wins, losses, point differential, and points allowed. Across the hall, in the Back Gym Division, teams Narins, Schmidt, and Courtney were slotted into a round-robin.
Group Stage, Front Gym: Bibi vs. Madonick; Bibi vs. Cozza; and Madonick vs. Cozza. Round Robin – Back Gym: Schmidt vs. Narins; Schmidt vs. Courtney; and Narins vs. Courtney. Semifinals ram 1:30–2:30 in both gyms. For the finals, 2:30–3:30, winners of the semifinal crossed over.
Jersey Mike’s of Montvale donated lunch for players and volunteers. Teachers Mr. Johnson, Mr. Marini, Mr. Puccini, and longtime referee Al Lannetta officiated, with vice principals stepping in earlier in the day.
Games moved quickly: players calling out picks, coaches (unofficial) shouting matchups,. The floor sounded like a varsity tournament.
Alex, 16, darted between courts, checking scores and greeting friends. “It’s been great,” he told Pascack Press, which arrived from covering the 33rd Annual Helping Hand Food Pantry Turkey Drive. “A lot of our friends came. Earlier all the teams were here — the gym was packed.”
Jagger was equally busy, helping manage rotations. As the tournament moved into its final rounds, the results came into focus: Team Cozza won the championship, with Liam Cozza named tournament MVP, Cooper Fond earning Finals MVP, and Erik Zellman recognized as Defensive Player of the Tournament.
In all, said Alex, the event raised more than $1,700 for Tackle Kids Cancer.
According to the GoFundMe established for the Bauta family, the Bautas are “deeply woven into the fabric” of Montvale, known for volunteering through school events, church groups, and charitable efforts. When Dren was diagnosed in May, classmates, neighbors, and local businesses immediately stepped in to support the family emotionally, practically, and financially.
Dren — “a gifted athlete who takes on any challenge… with a fierce competitive spirit,” according to the fundraiser — approached treatment with the same determination. In a Nov. 14 update, his family shared that he had completed his final round of treatment and was adjusting back to everyday routines.
Earlier in the year he told Quarterback Magazine: “From a young age, playing QB was my dream… I make sure to work hard on the field and off, in the classroom.” And on PIX11 at Hackensack University Medical Center’s “Christmas in July” event, he offered a message to other kids in treatment: “More than half the battle is mental. If you keep a good mindset… you’re halfway there.”
As the Dren Strong tournament unfolded, other corners of the building were alive as well. Teens Against Cancer members were making blankets for local children receiving treatment. Theater students were running audition prep in the auditorium. Student volunteers staffed concessions. Siblings chased balls during timeouts.
“You look around and see great kids everywhere, in every part of this building,” Weiland said. “And today these boys came up with this idea, pushed it, organized it, and made it happen.”
He said he hopes the story continues next fall: if all goes well, Dren — now cancer-free — will be back playing football as a senior.
The GoFundMe raised nearly $50,000 before pausing donations. Any remaining funds, the family said, will go toward pediatric hematology and oncology causes.
