Red Cafe & Pete Rock
“THE HEART & SOUL OF NEW YORK CITY”
A K1X film by Kevin Couliau
Yes, it’s about that time. Rain, sleet and snow have made way for the sun, long evenings and fresh sneakers. Early may, when Europe’s hardwood champions have been crowned and the NBA playoffs shift into full gear, marks the inofficial start of the real basketball season: the streetball season! That’s when reputations are made, nicknames are born and every ballplayer naturally gravitates towards that “thump”, “thump” sound of his or her home court. Playground basketball is where it all started. Playground basketball is where talent is honed and friendships are made. It’s where neighborhoods gather and where skills and sweat are a currency. That’s especially true for the mecca of basketball, New York City. Nowhere else do streetball tournaments, players and games attract a quasi-religious following. Dollars, pride and bragging rights are on the line. Believe the hype!
A lot of the kids playing basketball are trying to survive. They’re trying to figure out how they can dream. A lot [live in areas where they] don’t even have dreams and [have a difficult time] figuring out how they can turn their dreams into reality. That’s what Bob Hurley does. That’s what St. Anthony does.
- Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University… Read More »
The other night, I watched an advance copy of The Street Stops Here. Pow! It ranks up there with Hoop Dreams, Through The Fire, and On Hallowed Ground as one of the great documentaries made about our beloved sport. It follows the 2007-08 season of St. Anthony’s HS coach Bob Hurley. Peep the trailer below to whet your appetite until it airs nationally on PBS March 31 at 10pm est (check local listings):
After Mount Vernon and New Rochelle renewed hostilities in a sold-out late-January jumpoff, with hordes of fans hawking security guards to let them inside New Rochelle’s jam-packed gym (fans were forced to wait outside in weather more brick than John Starks in Game 7 last Saturday, as every seat in New Ro’s standing room only gym was spoken for 45 minutes before the heavily-billed battle), Section I’s storied rivalry resumes this afternoon at Mount Vernon High School.
It’s Mount Vernon, the historic hoops hotbed of the 914 real estate.
It’s New Rochelle, a football school that’s re-emerged as regal basketball recruiting waters for scouts and coaches to test and approve.
It’s an endless tale of battles. And that’s why it’s intriguing.
LeBron James is coming to town Sept. 20th to promote his new Air Max LBJ VIIs and his upcoming doc, “More Than a Game.” And, he comes bearing gifts, celebrities, free food & drinks and, of course, the NYC-inspired Limited Edition “MTAG” LBJ VIIs. Read More »
Mike “Ghost” Zanidean is back at it again showcasing his basketball prowess. You can catch a clip of him at Centennial College and the “Ghost” haunting his opponents on a daily basis. To read more about the “Ghost” on BOUNCE Online, click here and here. Read More »
The name Wat Misaka is re-entering the lexicon of New York City’s basketball faithful. A Japanese American born and raised in Utah, Misaka was the first person of color ever to play in the NBA. In 1947, three years before Earl Lloyd, Chuck Cooper and the Knicks’ Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton (and 52 years before Yao Ming set foot on NBA hardwood) the 5-7 guard who started at point for the two-time National Champion Utah Utes was not only the first non-Caucasian ever drafted but the first draft pick by the New York Knickerbockers. Ever. Read More »
ESPN Original Films is set to release A Woman Among Boys, a riveting film chronicling the trials and tribulations of coach Ruth “Coach Love” Lovelace as she attempts to guide her boys team at Boys High into the City Playoffs. Lovelace, who attended the high school and was teaching Phys Ed at the time, was named coach in 1994 at the age of 24. She’s faced unique challenges and has seen players on her teams work to overcome significant obstacles both on and off the court, and in the process has rebuilt Boys into a powerhouse to be reckoned with–her squads have playoff appearances in every year of her tenure.
A Woman Among Boys will debut (Sunday, Dec. 21, at 9 p.m.) on ESPN2. By year end, ESPN and ESPN2 will have aired nine ESPN Films documentaries.
Coach Love speaking on her unique situation: “As a female you can command respect from young men. You can get them to play well and get more academically.”
