It’s going down for the jumpoff for the 1st Annual Gametime Eastbay Classic in the SF Bay Area on Saturday, November 29th. Ten area teams, including McClymonds High School, the reigning boys state champs, as well as Sacred Heart–the #1 girls team in the country & reigning Cal state champs– will take the court in a hip hop hoopsfest brought to you by Gametime Gear in partnership with Nike.

So come and come and enjoy and all day community event. The first game tips at 2pm. All day clowning hosted by yours truly, Risse aka TownBiz. Read More »

Timing is everything.

I just found this picture that I decided to post it because it ‘hella’ brought me back. This picture was taken at the NBA All-Star Weekend, February 2001, in Washington D.C. Many stories still to be written about that weekend, but, for the sake of this posting, it shows that a true player never knows when your number will get called. Just be ready.

This pic always makes me smile because it’s one of the earliest archive photos of the Bounce blueprint at work.

The Playground is Always the Solution

[East Side...West Side...Worldwide] Ball out.

Matt Barnes put on the jets in the playoffs at Kezar Pavillion

An Olympic summer just wrapped, but this particular Dream Team certainly wasn’t fighting for gold medals. It’s the end of summer and the last teams still standing were definitely getting their skills playground tested. A battle certainly ensued in this year’s San Francisco Pro-Am Basketball League that wrapped in August. Dream Team took the edge in Game 1 with a 82-80 win before strong-arming the game away from East Bay in a thrilling 97-94 overtime win in Game 2 of the best-of-three title series. They defeated a squad that was anchored by the buckets of former USF standout and present D-Leaguer Jovan Harris, who was this year’s Pro-Am MVP. Still, Dream Team was stacked with crowd favorite Golden State Warriors Matt Barnes (now signed with Phoenix Suns) and the force known as forward Eric Crookshank, who did a stint in 2007 as And1’s “Air Canada” and will play overseas this season. Read More »

The ‘Town reps worldwide with Gametime Gear

A funny thing happened to me when I walked in the Northern California Super 100 Boys Basketball Camp last week, a gathering of the top NorCal high school ballers sponsored by the Slam N Jam Organization in the Bay Area. (www.slamnjam.org)

So I stroll in the gym with loads of Bounce magazines wearing an old pair of EBC shorts. It’s no big deal until two feet inside, this man suddenly says, “Those are my shorts.” Huh? At first, I don’t even trip off ole boy. Then he points to the logo on my baby blue Lady Mustang joints (what up Tone & Rocky!!) and says, “I made those. Those are my shorts.” It is very likely that if this stranger had said that to me back Uptown, I would have thought nothing of it really. But this is over 2,000 miles away and the Bay Area. I decide to investigate. Read More »

Young Soldiers run drills at Hot Prospects 2007

Drew Gooden grew up playing for the Oakland Soldiers/Slam N Jam youth basketball program.

Now it will bear his name.

The 26-year-old Cleveland Cavaliers forward has made a commitment of money and time to a program that will be known as the Drew Gooden Soldiers. The organization recently hosted the Hot Prospects Invitational camp for select 7th-11th graders in September. This weekend they will host the annual Super 100 Camp at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, CA. The event is designed for 9th-12th graders who are rated as the best high school players in their respective classes throughout Northern California. (For more information, visit www.slamnjam.org) Read More »

And1’s Helicopter got that slap for Ballaholic.

Oakland is known for more than just ghost ridin’ the whip. Players out this way–and fans alike–are known for “that go,” local slang that describes just how hard we roll out West. Read More »