Patrick's PALS 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament
Patrick’s PALS was established in 1997 by James & Pamela Vershbow, Jon Pressman, Bill Rome, and Steve Savarese — and with it came the launch of the annual Patrick’s PALS 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament. Held every year to raise funds and awareness for Fragile X research, the tournament brings together friends, families, and players for a day of community, competition, and purpose.
Patrick is the son of James and Pamela. Born in February 1993, he was diagnosed 11 months later with Fragile X syndrome. Patrick lives at home and attends a weekday day program for individuals with disabilities. In February of 2026, Patrick will turn 33 years old.
In 1994, James and Pamela were introduced to FRAXA Research Foundation, which had just been co-founded by two other parents of a son with Fragile X. Over the next few years, with the support of friends and family, James and Pamela began holding events aimed at raising both awareness and funds to support FRAXA’s mission to find effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
Jon, Bill, Steve, and James have been close friends since 1976. In the winter of 1996, the four friends and Pamela began talking about ways to grow their fundraising efforts. On Saturday, May 31, 1997, Patrick’s PALS 1 took place with 16 teams playing in a double-elimination tournament — the first event raised $25,000.
Fast-forward to May 31, 2025, and Patrick’s PALS 29 welcomed 32 teams, featured contests, a silent auction, raffles, and more — raising over $150,000 to support Fragile X research.
30 Years of Hoops for a Cure for Fragile X
Patrick’s PALS is incredibly proud to have raised more than $2 million over 29 years, all of which has gone directly to FRAXA Research Foundation to fund critical research.
In 2026, Patrick’s PALS will mark its 30th anniversary on a date that couldn’t be more fitting — May 30.
What began as a modest tournament in a Cambridge gym has grown into a day-long event filled with friends, family, and players of all ages — now held at a truly spectacular venue, the TRACK at New Balance in Brighton. Nestled alongside the practice homes of the Boston Bruins and Celtics and the New Balance headquarters, it’s a facility that matches the spirit and energy of the day.
We hope you’ll join us in 2026 as Patrick’s PALS turns 30, and as FRAXA Research Foundation continues its mission to bring us closer to a cure for Fragile X.
Our Next Event
Patrick’s PALS 30th Annual 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament & Community Celebration
the TRACK at new balance, 91 Guest St, Boston, MA 02135
Patrick's PALS Board
Within a few years of the first Patrick’s PALS 3-on-3 Tournament, longtime friend Jim Marks joined the PALS Board. Soon after, Scott Katz, another close friend of the original organizers, came on board. By the mid-2010s, the sons of Jon Pressman, Bill Rome, Steve Savarese, and Jim Marks — Andrew Pressman, Steven Rome, Peter Savarese, and Daniel Marks — joined the team after years of participating in the tournament themselves.
The PALS Board is a truly special group. They are loyal, close-knit, and deeply committed to raising awareness of Fragile X and helping fund research that brings us closer to effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
Previous Events
Patrick’s PALS 29 Raises Over $150K for Fragile X Syndrome at 3-on-3 Tournament
Fragile X syndrome fundraising took center stage at Patrick’s PALS 29, raising over $150,000 at Boston’s premier 3-on-3 basketball event.
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Patrick’s PALS 28th Annual Basketball Tournament for FRAXA Breaks Record
Recap of Patrick’s PALS 28: a successful 3-on-3 basketball fundraiser in Boston, raising $170,000+ for FRAXA Research Foundation.
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Celebrating Success at Patrick’s PALS 27th Annual 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament for FRAXA
Recap of Patrick’s PALS 27: a successful 3-on-3 basketball fundraiser at Bentley University, raising $150,000+ for FRAXA Research Foundation.
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Patrick’s PALS 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament Returns with a Big Impact
The triumphant return of Patrick’s PALS 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament after a hiatus of three years. With the help of Shady Hill School, the event raised close to $150,000 for FRAXA Research Foundation.
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Patrick’s PALS Still Shines Strong Even in the Face of COVID
Patrick’s PALS 25th Annual 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament & Fundraiser was once again relegated to “Fundraiser Only” status in 2021. BUT, and it’s a BIG but, the spirit, generosity and devotion of so many to this event still shined through. Over $140,000 was raised through a mail campaign, all of it of course going to FRAXA to continue to advance research that will someday lead to effective treatments and ultimately a cure.
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Patrick’s PALS 23rd Annual Basketball Tournament Raises $140,000 for Fragile X Research
Patrick’s PALS has grown from a twelve-team tournament to a 36-team extravaganza! On four half-courts, 18 first-round games set teams on a path to the winners or losers bracket. After that, it was all about staying alive and avoiding elimination by not losing two games. In the end, two veteran teams faced off for the rights to ensure their names would be engraved on the PALS Trophy: the multiple-past-champion Kline Team and the always-in-the-mix Gray Team (pictured above). Gray entered the finals with one loss, so they needed to beat Kline twice. That they did to become the Champions of Patrick’s PALS XXIII!
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Boys Basketball Fundraiser Kicks Off The Season of Giving
On Saturday morning, November 17, 60 boys, their parents and a bunch of volunteers gathered in Newton, MA for the 3rd annual 3 on 3 basketball tournament, sponsored by the Newton Athletic Association (NAA), a program of Newton Community Education. The event is a fun competition of teams of three players competing for bragging rights of which team is king of the local youth basketball program.
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22nd Patrick’s PALS Basketball Tournament Raises $125,000 for Fragile X Research!
The Patrick’s PALS 22nd Annual 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament benefiting FRAXA Research Foundation took place on Saturday, June 2, 2018, at the Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (BB&N) in Cambridge. 36 teams signed up and were squeezed into the 32-team, double-elimination format raising another $125,000 for Fragile X research!
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