SPORTS HALL of FAME ATHLETE
Jene Grey '75

Hard to believe that a journey such as Jene's that began in the Marcy Projects in Brooklyn could eventually make it to Sidney. His "court" there is where he honed his basketball skills, and basketball became his catalyst.

Unfortunately, the allure of the streets proved more important than the importance of an education and basketball took precedence over the classroom. Jene's late mother Shirley Smith made the tough love decision that a new start was needed for his quality of life. Camp Brace, a center for troubled youth was the transition location, where he arrived in the winter of 1972. The love of a mother for her son was undaunted and Jene was given a new chance at life.

With a structured life, male mentors, and of course basketball still in the picture, Jene found that this was a good place for him to develop into the man everyone thought he could be. Soon, his high score on a proficiency test allowed Jene to commute from Camp Brace to Sidney. By 1973-74 he made the varsity and quickly the rowdy Warrior fans dubbed him "Jeno"

Soon, Jene was able to leave Camp Brace and move in with Jacqueline and Gary Scavo. They reared, disciplined and treated him as their own. And to this day Jene is still their eldest son along with Stacey and Scott.

As a junior, Jene's stats were impressive. And the winning streak established by the 21-0 team of 1972-73 carried on more than half the season before a tough home loss to Whitney Point.. A groin injury at the end of the regular sidelined him and the Warriors exited quietly after the first round of sectionals.

Senior year? At 20-2, it was amazing. Jene also pulled off a rare feat in being named MVP of the Oneonta Merchants Christmas Tournament despite Sidney placing 3rd. But it was a banner year at Sidney. His 24.6 points and double-digit rebound averages earned Jene the title MVP of the Sus West Division. The team regained Section IV Class A supremacy, then beat Bishop Ludden in the first-ever intersectional game, behind a dominating 37 points from "Jeno".

As a scholastic career capper, Jene set the school record and qualified for the State meet in the triple jump for his only season of track and field.

Jene continued on to LeMoyne College where he excelled as a student athlete. His sphomore performance at the first-ever Carrier Classic at Syracuse earned him All-Tournament Team honors along with a Michigan State star named Magic Johnson. When he averaged more than 22 points (#21 nationally among small schools) and 12 rebounds (7th) his senior year, Jene of a major honor being drafted in the 7th round to the NBA San Diego (now L.A.) Clippers. In February of 1991, Jene was later rewarded by his induction into the Le Moyne College Athletic Hall of Fame. He is considered one of their best all-time.

Professionally Jene held several sales positions in Syracuse before he and wife, Joan moved to Maryland. For the past 10 years he has been working for Laureate Inc. (Walden University) as a Senior Account Specialist. In 2012, he received an M.S. in Leadership from Walden University. Welcome back as a Hall of Famer at Sidney, Jene Grey!