Sunday, July 20

If there is one day to attend the Dolphin Park Classic, today would be that day. With the playoffs starting this afternoon, all the marbles are on the line. The dunk contest also goes down today. And really…who doesn’t like a dunk contest?

I show up at the Thompson Community Centre courts just before 2 pm. The final round robin game between the Home Team and the Monkeys just wrapped up. I’m pissed I missed this game, because I had been wanting to catch the Monkeys play all weekend. I can’t name one member on their team, but I can tell you that they are the heart and soul of this tournament. They are all about having fun and celebrating the weekend. Every year they put on some sort of funky costume/uniform. Last year they wore tuxedo t-shirts and this year they played in these construction looking jumpsuits!

photo: Mitchell and Ness needs to license these uniforms.

Looking at those uni’s, those cannot be comfortable. But apparently they played just fine in them as they only lost to the Home Team by seven. While they are eliminated from the playoffs, they don’t look upset at all. Literally seconds after their loss, the majority of their squad made a b-line right to the MGD Beer Garden beside the court.

In the first match up of the playoffs, MGD is taking on the Birds. Almost immediately, MGD’s point guard Christian “T-Bear” Upshaw is catching my attention. T-Bear reminds me a lot of former St. John’s point Marcus Hatten the way he bobs and weaves through the court. He’s super quick and handles as if he’s got that ball on a string. And at 5-10, he can throw it down in traffic. Upshaw is going into his third season as the starting PG at St. Francis Xavier in Nova Scotia. Coincidently, “X” is the same school my friend and colleague over at SLAM, Holly MacKenzie, attended. After confirmation from Holly via text message, turns out the two are good friends. Small world.

photo: T-Bear was named to the All Dolphin second team.

Though T-Bear and MGD crept past the Birds, they ran out of gas as they were handled by 20 by the Moose Knuckles in the semi finals. Home Team also met their fate as they were eliminated in the semi’s by the defending champion X-Falcons. The three-headed monster of Randy Nohr, Casey Archibald and Navi Sekhon were too much for the obviously worn out Home Team.

Before the Moosenuckles/X-Falcons finale, there was the annual dunk contest and 3pt shootout. The 3pt was cool, a dude named Aman Heran nailed like 15 treys in a minute to win it. But the dunk contest? Wow, it was probably one of the best I’d seen!

Home Team’s Stefan Hargrove is one of the more creative dunkers out there. In that first attempt, he tapped the ball behind the backboard before dunking it on the other side. Steph’s blindfold 360 was also ridiculous. The little dude’s (couldn’t get his name) dunk around the 55-second mark of the video was also incredible. That 360 degree spin, while wrapping it around his legs before tossing it off the backboard and cramming it was like mixing Tony Hawk with Baron Davis. That would get 10’s in the NBA dunk contest. Aaron Fleetwood also impressed with his windmill/360 as well as his James White-esque, take off from the free throw line dunk while spreading your legs.

But let’s face it, it was Ross Bekkering who shut it down! For being as big as he is, he throws it down with grace, power and creativity. Ross’ head was nearly level with the rim every time. His finale where he wrapped it around his back? You could count the number of people who were still sitting down after he pulled that one. Ross was definitely earned his stripes at Dolphin as a player and an entertainer. No doubt he’s gonna get some love when his University of Calgary Dinos come in town to play UBC this winter.

photo: A star is born at Dolphin.

In the final, the Moosenuckles gave a good fight, but it was the X-Falcons that prevailed 72-60. As long as Nohr is running the team, everyone else is just competing for second place. Not only did his squad win back to back Dolphin titles, but he repeated as tournament MVP. With Dolphin legend Pasha Bains out with injuries the past two tourney’s, it is fair to say that Randy is becoming the Kenny “Serious Satellite” Satterfield of Dolphin Park. Now all Randy needs is a nickname. Any suggestions?

Well, the Dolphin Park Classic is a wrap. After 48 straight hours of hoops and sun, I can honestly say this year’s Dolphin exceeded my expectations. Even though the Vancouver Grizzlies are long gone, locals at least have an elite playground tournament to look forward to every July. Shout out to the organizers, Bruce and Tony, who helped me out with information. And thanks to everybody who checked out this diary!

photo: Aaron Fleetwood does the Jumpman.

photo: The next generation of Dolphin hoopers.