Basketball Meets Heart Health: The Danny Rumph Classic Celebrates 20 Years of Making a Difference

Philadelphia’s summer basketball scene is about to get a powerful boost of purpose and passion. The Danny Rumph Classic is marking a major milestone this year—its 20th anniversary—and the celebration promises to be bigger and more impactful than ever before.

From Thursday, August 7th through Monday, August 11th, Drexel University’s Daskalaki Athletic Center will transform into the epicenter of cause-driven basketball as 18 games unfold on the court. But this tournament is about so much more than just the final score.

A Legacy Born from Love and Loss

The Danny Rumph Classic carries a deeply personal mission that began with tragedy and transformed into hope. The tournament honors Danny Rumph, a young man whose life was cut short in 2005 when he suffered sudden cardiac arrest due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy—a condition that often goes undiagnosed until it’s too late.

What emerged from this heartbreak was something beautiful: a community coming together to ensure other families wouldn’t face the same devastating loss. In 2006, just one year after Danny’s passing, his mother Viola “Candy” Owens, uncle Marcus Owens, and close friends Sharif Hanford and Mike Morak channeled their grief into action, founding an event that would honor Danny’s memory while saving lives.

Where Basketball and Heart Health Intersect

The Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation’s signature tournament brilliantly combines Danny’s love for basketball with a critical public health mission. Each game played during the Classic serves a dual purpose: celebrating the sport Danny cherished while raising awareness about hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and the importance of heart health screenings.

This isn’t just about spreading the word—it’s about taking concrete action. The tournament funds lifesaving heart screenings and ensures defibrillator access in underserved communities throughout Philadelphia, directly addressing health disparities that can mean the difference between life and death.

Two Decades of Impact

As the Danny Rumph Classic enters its 20th year, it stands as a testament to how sports can be a powerful vehicle for social change. What started as a way to process grief has evolved into an annual tradition that brings together athletes, families, and community members around a shared commitment to preventing sudden cardiac death.

The tournament’s longevity speaks to both the ongoing need for heart health awareness and the Philadelphia community’s dedication to honoring Danny’s legacy through action. Each year, more families learn about the warning signs of heart conditions, more young athletes receive potentially lifesaving screenings, and more communities gain access to the emergency equipment that could save a life.

The Danny Rumph Classic proves that the most meaningful victories often happen off the court—in the lives saved, the awareness raised, and the community bonds strengthened in pursuit of a cause greater than any individual game.

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PHILADELPHIA, PA (July 23, 2025) – The Danny Rumph Classic is going big for its 20th year on Thursday, August 7, 2025, to Monday, August 11, 2025, at Drexel University’s Daskalaki Athletic Center. Presented by the Daniel E. Rumph II Foundation, this premier cause-driven basketball tournament features 18 games aimed at raising awareness of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and funding lifesaving heart screenings and defibrillator access in underserved communities across Philadelphia.