2008 Giardini Margherita Finals
“Basket City” is the real name of Bologna, Italy. Two teams in town, Virtus and Fortitudo, two tribes who face the hard battle between fellow citizens, two opposite realities in all ways, lifestyle, counsciousness, passion, background, confidence, two faces of the same city. And Bologna has its own concrete, one of the biggest concrete ball tournaments in Italy and Europe, the Giardini Margherita Nike Tournament.
Born in 1982, the Tournament is the main stage of the italian concrete ball, from the early 80s more than 1000 ballers have touched the asphalt, big names like Roberto Brunamonti, Andrea Niccolai, Roberto Chiacig, “Sugar” Michael Ray Richardson, Davide Bonora, Gek Galanda (the most famous Italian National Team’s captain), Alessandro Abbio, Gianmarco Pozzecco and many others made the history of this tournament.
Several curiousity happened in the tournament in last 26 years. In 2007 Father and son played in the same game with the Fossa dei Leoni’s team (the Fortitudo’s hardcore fans), Dan Gay and his son Louis. In 1994 Mario Boni, one of the best three points shooters in the italian ball history, played in the Tournament as “Mister X”, while serving a doping disqualification in the Italian League, leading his team to the victory. In 2002 the biggest audience ever was a spontaneous tribute to Ettore Messina, fired by Virtus in a controversial front office’s move. In 1990 Claudio Crippa (present Cska Moskow GM) came on the court saying “a friend of mine is in the car, could he play?”. He was Mike Brown, an NBA player. In 2007 the big brawl in the Final, with a final police action, everything seemed lost. But in 2008 a great edition, with a lot of pros (like Daniel Hackett, USC Trojans guard, born and raised in Italy) and a higher ball level.
Waiting for the 2009 Tournament…
January 3rd, 2009 at 7:37 am
Paolo says:
I used to play there.it is the best place in Italy to play streetball,and the tournament is amazing.
January 3rd, 2009 at 10:22 am
umaga80 says:
italians do it better, all fields
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:30 am
Casey Lee says:
Keep me posted Dan, I’m interested to see where the Tournament is played this year…we already have Quai 2009 Tournament in France, can Italy make a move and build some international hype too?
I’m planning for Italy this summer..
January 3rd, 2009 at 11:58 am
buffalo soldja says:
italians do it better, I remember Madonna’s tshirt in the clip, goin back in de eighties….
papa don’t preach was the song
cool
January 3rd, 2009 at 1:10 pm
alegiust says:
donno if it is the best place to play concrete bball in italy but for sure one of the better known.
January 3rd, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Daniele Vecchi says:
AAAAAAHHHHH Alegiust I know you you r a tough cat who always play ball all around the Milan courts!!!
you from Milan feel the rivalry with Bologna, but I think that tough cats are tough cats in all the world courts…
so, respect to you man!!
Casey: the tournament is always in Bologna, would be cool to connect all the european tournaments….
peace
January 3rd, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Sean Couch says:
Daniele:
How many people usually attend?
January 3rd, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Daniele Vecchi says:
Sean:
around 3000 for the final, around 1000 for the other rounds (14 teams in 4 groups, wild card, quarterfinals and semifinals), the tournament is the main event of Bologna’s sport summer.
peace
January 4th, 2009 at 8:54 am
panagiotis says:
I’m greek and I used to live in Italy I love this court is one of the best in the country.
green hell
January 4th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
Paulie says:
good good good good stuff.
I love italian hoops.
I love Bologna
January 4th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Bobbito Garcia a.k.a. Kool Bob Love says:
love it! we’ll get danielle to cover the margharita 2009 for one of bounce issues later this summer . . .
if they have a 40+ division, let me know!
January 4th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Brolin says:
yeah love the italian job bolonia rulez
January 5th, 2009 at 5:49 am
FOSSA says:
SA-LU-TA-TE LA FOR-TI-TU-DO!!
January 5th, 2009 at 10:02 am
ALEGIUST says:
yeahas Baby Face, thanks for the RESPECT words and for sure you can BET big bucks on MILANO concrete ballin…..
January 5th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Daniele Vecchi a.k.a. Baby Face says:
Bob, we don’t care about the 40 plus division, we go out there and kick the xxx of the youngers…..am I right?
eheh
Alegiust I love your style you know it man!!
looking for 1 o 1 with you, in Milan or in Bologna, ASAP!!
Peace
January 6th, 2009 at 10:28 am
ALEGIUST says:
respet for you man baby face from km.319 hoops.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Daniele Vecchi a.k.a. Baby Face says:
SS9 Via Emilia rulez!!!
January 7th, 2009 at 5:16 am
Paolo says:
In Bologna there are some other cool fields to play ball, Giardini Margherita is the most famous, but the streetball movement in Bologna is very diffused.
Paolo
January 7th, 2009 at 6:49 am
wally says:
loooooooove giardini margherita
January 9th, 2009 at 11:35 am
nopace1 says:
Outside of Giardini Margherita what are the best places to ball in Bologna + Milan? Ho visuto a Bologna x due anni e, sinceramente, ho fatto fatica trovare good pick up games. I’d love to know where to play tho! thanks!!
January 10th, 2009 at 7:55 am
Daniele Vecchi says:
in Bologna there’s the old “Meloncello”, right near the football stadium, and lately there’s “Lunetta Gamberini”, the real trend of the city.
in Milan Dezza Street is the most competitive, 24/7 day& night, or Parco Sempione, where Bargnani and Belinelli made the Nike commercial (2007).
peace
January 10th, 2009 at 9:59 am
alegiust says:
In Milano i do know the “viale argonne” città studi court as a good one as well. But there are more, for sure.
January 10th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Daniele Vecchi says:
yes, viale Argonne, great court.
Peace
January 14th, 2009 at 11:49 am
Mimmo says:
In Bologna the principal field to play basket is Meloncello near the football stadium.
And the principal team is Virtus
April 16th, 2009 at 4:40 am
Lorenzo@GAM3.dk says:
Ciao tutti,
GAM3 is hosting the largest street ball tournament in Scandinavia with 500+ players the 22nd August.
Last years winners were rocstar from N.Y. and we would love some more international players especially some italian teams. 1st prize is aprox. 2000€.
Do you guys have an idea who to contact (fx. by mail) to get out the message to several teams?
Cordiali saluti/ PEACE OUT.
L