Basketball courts to be named in honor of West New York legend Jackie Gilloon

The exploits of one of Hudson County’s all-time basketball legends will live on in West New York.

The town will name the basketball courts at Washington Park in honor of arguably the town’s greatest player, Jackie Gilloon, on Oct. 15. The park is located between 66th and 67th streets, across from Albio Sires Elementary School.

Gilloon, who starred at Memorial High School and then at the University of South Carolina, died in January at the age of 65.

Jimmy Graziano, a teammate of Gilloon’s at South Carolina, called the flashy point guard “a pocket Pistol Pete,” referring to Pete Maravich, the Hall of Fame player Gilloon fashioned his game after. It’s Graziano who came up with the proposal to name the courts after his teammate and friend.

A GoFundMe.com page created by Graziano so far has raised nearly $7,000 for a plaque and other expenses associated with the event.

Graziano said he’s run into some roadblocks in getting the plaque created — he said he needs approvals from the school district and the town — so he had banners created to honor Gilloon at the event.

Graziano said the 2 p.m. event will include a Memorial High School alumni game, food and speeches from his high school coach Tony Yankovich, Rep. Albio Sires and West New York Mayor Gabriel Rodriguez. The ceremony will also feature a 30-minute highlight reel from his playing days at South Carolina.

West New York officials did not return calls for details on the ceremony.

Gilloon, who was inducted into the Hudson County Hall of Fame in 2002, played for Memorial from 1971 to 1974 and led the Tigers to three straight North Hudson championships and the Hudson County championship in 1973.

“He was a great, great, great player,” said Sires, who starred at Memorial High just prior to Gilloon’s arrival there. “He was 150 pounds soaking wet, but he could do things with a ball that were magical. He frustrated every player he played against.”

Gilloon was drafted by the Denver Nuggets of the NBA, and played professionally in Argentina for four years. He returned to West New York as a teacher in the public school system.