Clint Wright and Lakeland High School were host to a prime illustration on Friday night that excitement and love endures for the old hoops rivalries and stars of the Peanut District.

The crowd was standing room only to watch basketball veterans put on their old high school colors and return to the court for the Peanut District Ol’ Skool Classic. The event was a fund-raiser for Lakeland’s boys’ basketball program, for which Wright is the varsity coach.

“I think it was a great success,” Lakeland activities director Gregory Rountree said. “We really weren’t expecting that many people. Coach Wright did a great job of publicizing.”

Wright said, “I was very elated, very grateful for all that attended.”

He also said, “To me it was a favorable reunion,” noting a reunion of this magnitude would typically only happen on a somber occasion, when someone had passed away.

Explaining what drew a crowd beyond expectations, Wright pointed to Suffolk’s history with the game of basketball.

“We’ve always been able to play the game, and I think people have heard so many stories about how it used to be and how it once was,” he said.

On Friday night, they got a glimpse of that.

Wright was able recruit full alumni rosters for Forest Glen, John F. Kennedy, John Yeates, Suffolk, Franklin and Surry County high schools.

Even though many of the players are now in their 40s, Wright said, “They’re still playing the game fairly well,” and people were really excited about what they saw.

Wright said other players expressed feeling nervous just like they did in high school before taking the court as emcee Jeral Staten whipped up the crowd, announcing them as music from their era played.

The event’s final game, which featured Forest Glen and Suffolk, proved to be the closest of the night. Former NBA player Lamont Strothers put Forest Glen up by one with 15 seconds remaining on a layup.

Shortly thereafter, Suffolk High School’s Tony Smith, an 11-year professional overseas, hit two free throws and Forest Glen was unable to respond, giving Suffolk the win. The game ended sometime after 10:30 p.m., with a significant crowd still in attendance.

Wright said he and his alma mater John Yeates fell by about 20 points to John F. Kennedy, which included Rountree, who was part of the school’s state championship team during his junior year.

“I was actually surprised to see many of my old teammates,” Rountree said.

The only downside to the event came in the form of injuries that came during play, Wright said, alluding to Rountree, who broke his wrist.

Wright said Surry County topped Franklin by about 20 points in the middle game of the event.

After expenses, Wright said the Classic raised around $2,200 for Lakeland’s boys’ basketball program.

Before the Forest Glen/Suffolk tilt, everyone observed a moment of silence for Troy Joyner, a 1985 Forest Glen player and graduate who passed away in August 2013. A plaque was presented to his four sons.