2008 Nike Pro City champs Queensbridge. Photo: Alton Ritter
Nike Pro City
Prime Time entered the Nike Pro City (68th and Lexington Avenue) playoffs as the top seed. Queensbridge had to defeat X-Men to get in; they peaked at the right time and had the best player in the entire tournament in Houston Rocket forward, Ron Artest. When the two squads faced off for the league championship and the right to go to the Tournament of Champions on August 23, the night ended with the speakers pumping MC Shan’s “The Bridge.”
Prime Time came out hot, with former Texas Longhorn Reggie “Hi Five” Freeman hitting a couple deep treys and Sundiata Gaines getting to the rack at will. Queensbridge steadied the ship, as Daryll “Showtime” Hill kept them in it with numerous slashes to the basket for lay ups. Prime Time threatened to blow the game open with the score 51-49 and just under three minutes left in the first half. They closed the half on a 10-2 run, as Freeman hit another trey with 18 seconds left in the second quarter to give Prime Time a 61-51 lead at the intermission.
Queensbridge made a run of their own mid-way through the third quarter and tied the game on a superman-like one-handed put back dunk by Ryan “Special FX” Williams. They then rode the moment to take the lead and entered the fourth stanza with an 80-78 advantage.
In the fourth quarter, the pros that suited up for both teams; Ron Artest for Queensbridge and Marcus Williams for Prime Time, showed why they are paid so much dough to play the game. Williams seemed to hit an activate button and began to score at will, with deep jumpers and drives to the bucket. Ron Artest was vintage Ron Artest, knocking down the J with defenders draped all over his arms and getting to the basket when he pleased. Down the stretch Prime Time couldn’t buy a free-throw as they clanked freebie after freebie in the fourth quarter. But even if they knocked those free ones down it’s hard to see them winning this contest. In the end Queensbridge had it rolling like a well oiled machine as they knocked off Prime Time 118-106 to win the Nike Pro City championship and advance to the Tournament of Champions on August 23.
Nike’s Paul “PR” Rivera and Kevin O’Connor, Pro City MVP Ron Artest and Pro City league director Ray Diaz. Photo: Alton Ritter
All year long Pro City MC Brawley has been saying that Special FX is the highest jumping man in the world. Tonight he made believers of all in attendance. Special FX threw down one dunk where his chest was above rim level. He not only gets up high, but he follows through on the dunk with authority. At one points it looked like the rim would come off in his hand after he completed the one-handed put-back.
As time ran down and it was obvious Queensbridge had the game, Artest faced the crowd and smiled and danced as “The Bridge” was played and all Queensbridge supporters in attendance let out a victorious roar. It was obvious that this one wasn’t an individual triumph, and Artest won this one for the entire hood.
Artest led all scorers with 35 points on 4-for-8 shooting from three, 23 in the second half and nine rebounds. Showtime Hill scored 20 and dished six assists, while Jarrid Frye contributed 19 for the champions. Don Williams came of the bench for Prime Time and led his squad with 20 points and 11 boards. Williams added 19 points, on 3-for-6 shooting from behind the arc, for the losing side.
West 4th
It wasn’t expected to be a close contest and the 116-99 final would indicate it wasn’t, but for fans at West 4th St. (3rd St., 6th Ave.) Thursday evening, the first game of the playoffs between No. 8 T.A. Express and No. 1 Money Train was everything you could ask for.
Darren “Primal Fear” Phillip at the free-throw line. Photo: Trevor Kapp
Darren “Primal Fear” Phillip led Money Train, which lost its only game of the season last Friday to Pick & Roll, with 24 points and former St. John’s forward Anthony Glover chipped in 19.
Money Train, which had to play without Ryan “Special FX” Williams, led 61-39 at the half, but T.A. came storming back behind Aquawasi “Q” St. Hillaire and his game-high 38 points to cut the deficit to just five with 7:20 left in the fourth. But that’s when DP and Glover turned it on and Money Train pulled away.
Hats off to Q, who had an unbelievable season for T.A., the agile wing flew under the radar but was arguably the most impressive player in the league, (he won the dunk contest and hit a buzzer beater at the all-star game on the same day), dropping at least 25 almost every time out.
The West 4th playoffs are scheduled to resume Friday with 1.3/The Champs taking on Mookie Thomas and Diamond. Tip-off is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
Contributors: Trevor Kapp
August 8th, 2008 at 9:44 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
anyone realize or mention that ryan williams, showtime hill, and artest are all st. johns grads? can we get the program back to national prominence, please?!!! the obviously have had some amazing players in the last decade and change, just seems like they’re not there at the same time. eugene lawrence emerged as a playground star this summer. st. johns represent represent.
August 9th, 2008 at 3:47 am
gabrielo says:
ryan williams never had much of an impact in college, never got major minutes, showtime battled injuries throughout his whole career which led to eugene lawrence becoming a starter, and artest left early as did omar cook, erick barkley, etc…don’t forget anthony glover and tyrone grant and those are just the new york guys..you also marcus hatten, bootsy thornton..your right, a lot of talent not much to show for it though
August 10th, 2008 at 12:16 am
40 cal says:
You know what, I think Prime Time would have won the game if they cut the bull and played Brian 2 fast 2 furious gardenhire who would have matched up well against showtime compared to Yatta Gaines, and oh my god Special FX is showing a new side to his game, he didint have the best 1st half but in the second half he shut the door showing he can finish down the stretch.
August 10th, 2008 at 12:21 am
40 cal says:
and i just realized somthing nuts, i havent gone to west 4 but 8th seed playoff spot, that means west 4 gave away playoff spots cause once upon a time it was 1 – 4 then it was 1-6 now 1-8, plain and simple throwing playoff spots for big named teams
August 10th, 2008 at 10:24 am
360ELs says:
I’m proud of ryan bc I used 2 play with him at pal foster laurie in queens and we used 2 just mess with him and say all he can do is dunk but we all knew he was one of the best its just took every1 a lil longer 2 realize it
August 13th, 2008 at 5:05 pm
fan says:
PDG Queensbridge had Mase Jr. as well. Moe hatten was due in the building as well. It’s not the players.