This past weekend Centrecourt hosted its sixth annual summer run, HOOPFEST TWENTY TEN and it was an event of many firsts.  After five years of calling Lord Tweedsmuir Secondary home, the tournament moved on up like George and Weezy to the penthouse that is the Langley Events Centre.  Running twenty four games over the course of two days on two courts, HOOPFEST TWENTY TEN welcomed ten teams and a combination of over three hundred people through the doors during the hot August weekend. Read More »

Semi-Finals at Dyckman presented some unpredictable twists

Playoff action resumed at Dyckman last night with yet another electric crowd. Fans at Dyckman really get into the game. Yes, they are often literally on the court and in the game that way, but they are also basketball-savvy fans who do not hesitate to let their opinions be known. No better time to speak up than when the stakes are at their highest: playoffs. Win or go home. And it’s a long wait until the summer of 2011 – lots of lost sleep can take place over that one turnover you wish you had back or that rushed shot that was swatted into next summer.

Last night Mann Up took on TNP and Team 914 faced Castle Hill in Dyckman semi-final action. Continue reading for details on how it all went down. Read More »

Zach Radz – Top 50 Rising 8th Grader

When I boarded the train early Sunday morning with my dad , I could not have expected what the outcome of the day was going to be like . I originally was traveling to participate in the Jim Couch Foundation Basketball Combine , an event that was to be attended by some of the hottest young players in the metro area & also to play a ‘chip game in Brooklyn at 5pm. Well , as luck would have it , we received word from Sean Couch that the combine had to be canceled due to an unforeseen issue at the gym site . My heart dropped at the sound of this news as I had been looking forward to this event for most of the summer . What happened next would show me just how “real ” Sean Couch is as a diplomat for NYC .

Sean, offered to pick us up from 125th St & take us on a tour of several Harlem b-ball hot spots, including Rucker Park , which I had never been to . At each spot, Sean was quick to introduce me to all the players / coaches & made sure that I got some burn in . We talked all throughout the trip about the rich history on NYC streetball , the 100’s of tournaments that go on each summer & about the legends who have made names for themselves on the courts. You see, the great thing about basketball is that as a player , you can always be learning about the game , even when you are not playing just by listening / talking about the game. All the while , I am thinking to myself, how lucky am I to be hanging with Editor of Bounce Mag in the greatest city in the world – seeing places most kids from Upstate NY could only imagine !

I look forward to many more trip down to the city that never sleeps & putting in work in as many court as I can . Sean estimates that there is over 500 courts in NYC , so I guess I got a lot of work ahead of me !!!

Lastly , to anyone who reads this , please support the Jim Couch / Dyckman Foundation at all of there great events they conduct for kids of NYC & get your copy of Bounce Mag today !!!

Ask sports fans around the city of Vancouver about the names Levon Kendall, Rob Sacre, Tyler Kepkay and Kelly Olynyk and most people will probably scratch their heads and shrug their shoulders.  Ask those same people about who the fourth line centre is for the Canucks and they will mostly likely get the answer correct.  The four names listed are hometown boys who will proudly be representing the Canadian Men’s Basketball team on Tuesday evening in the opening game of the Jack Donohue International Classic (the other two games take place on Aug 12/13 against France in Toronto).  While I have yet to come to terms with the fact that basketball will never come close, let alone equal the popularity of hockey in my home country, I would like to hope that one day the select few who are playing for our national team will at least receive a tad bit more acknowledgement than that of a checking line centre!

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Sebastian Telfair takes pics with some fans during another capacity crowd at Dyckman on a Friday night

The stars have been showing up at Dyckman this summer. Friday Night Lights are on and poppin’ up there with matchups that’ll keep you’re eyes glued to the action. Corey Fisher vs 2 Hard 2 Guard. Sebastian Telfair vs Edgar Sosa. Problem vs Steve Burtt, Jr. Anti-Freeze vs Keydren Clarke. And on and on and on and on. As Kenny Stevens proclaims, “Where else would you wanna be?” Keep reading for more images of the action up at Dyckman. Read More »

The BBQ shish kabobs weren’t the only hot items uptown last night, Aaron “The Problem” Williams went to work out the gate to lead TEAM 914 to a 69-60 win over Harlem Ballers.

With the score tied at 16, with 11:36 in the first half, “The Problem” (18 points) lead a 4-0 run to take the first real lead of the game. He did the job defensively, as he caught a Sayonara Sucka style block on HB’s best player, young Irv a.k.a. “Cyanide” Read More »

My e-mail and phone have been buzzing over the past month, with concerned friends and colleague’s wondering why I’d been appearing on milk cartons as of late, aka missing in action. Have no fear, I’m still here, but the summer months are where I do the majority of my reconaissance work for Bounce Magazine.

This summer, we’ve bounced throughout the landscape to bring some delicious, mouth-watering servings to our next dinner plate, Bounce Issue #25. I won’t spill the beans here, but just know that when the issue drops, the streets are gonna be hummin’!

Last night, after banging out some work, I dipped through the Melo Center in Baltimore for the Semi-Finals of the Carmelo Anthony Summer Pro-Am. And my goodness gracious God’a'mighty, was I in for a treat. Read More »