Christopher J. Fagan (aka “The Big C”) is a Capital District basketball legend. He played for Catholic High, then four years at Colgate University. Afterward, he played professionally in France and Holland. When he came home from pro ball, he just kept playing. Not a local pick-up game existed that he didn’t frequent – and, most likely, dominate. He’d enter tournaments and summer leagues. The man could find a good game of hoops wherever he went. But his favorite kind of game was a 3-on-3 tournament: he loved the pace, the teamwork, the style, the call-your-own fouls (which he took advantage of, especially if it was an important point). He loved the way a great 3-on-3 tournament blended all the best things about basketball: competition, memories, a great sweat.

Chris never retired from basketball. In fact, it was on the court that he developed the first symptom of ALS: he couldn’t catch passes to his left hand. A few months later, he was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, but he kept playing in his local game for many months afterward. That terrible disease finally took his life on Dec. 4, 2019, but before he left us for good, he had one request: start a 3-on-3 tournament in his honor.

 So here we are! Every dollar we make at The Big C 3-on-3 Tournament will be donated to ALS, to help stop this terrible f-cking disease.