Summer Basketball Heaven
Wearing a red shirt on Democratic primary election day said it all. I am a moron. It was one thing to wear it, while it was another thing to brag about it under the moronic assumption democrats supported the “red states”. A brain freeze? Clearly..... but that morning and subsequent evening spent talking to friends, losing what little money I had at Mohegan Sun, and realizing I voted for Joe Leibermen and he didn't win was still one of illumination for my ever crumbling ego. The Red Sox began a free fall in KC, so I decided to expand my horizons and free my mind....
Luckily, Thursday night I found that redemption was spelled “GHPA”. No, this not a drug. It is the Greater Hartford Pro-Am basketball playoffs. Spurred on the notion of watching some excellent ball, the night offered up a unique view of New England’s rising star. That’s the city of Hartford for those of you not in the know.
The GHPA is in it ninth year, and has featured various players from the area including many of the UConn greats, like Ray Allen, Talik Brown, Hilton Armstrong, and Khlid El-Amin.
And of coarse the great Ryan Gomes.
After driving through two torrential down pours, I eventually found myself at the Fox Middle School, a venue far too small to contain all the energy on this evening. In game one, number 2 seed Liv Ya Life defeated Cambyland 107-94. Former UConn underperformer and traditional GHPA standout Edmound Saunders scored 29 in the victory. His dual with ECSU’s Charles “The Beast” Easterling was outstanding. Cambyland was out matched at the point and the wings, but were able to cut a 17 point second half Liv Ya Life lead to 3 late in the fourth quarter. With the overwhelmingly pro-Cambyland crowd in frenzy, Liv Ya Life proceeded to crush all hopes of a Cambyland victory with a torrid 12-2 run.
The big game of the evening pitted Club Blu, featuring the great Ryan Gomes, and players from Jackson State, URI, and Utep versus number 1 seed Jive Records, featuring three incoming UConn freshman Doug Wiggins, Curtis Kelly, and Jerome Dyson. Like the 05-06 UConn men, Jive Records was full of ridiculous athletes, as the warm up drills seconded as an unofficial dunk contest. At this point the gym was filled with an absolute mass of humanity. The rafters filled, viewing around the court went at least three deep. Despite Gomes missing the game due to injury, Club Blu seemed unfazed by defending champions Jive early leads. Kelvin Davis’s drive through the lane and subsequent jam over Kelly sent the gym into hysteria that stopped the game for three minutes. Davis finished with 32 points. By the middle of the second quarter it was clear this contest was going to be a dog fight, and that the eventual GHPA champion would probably be decided. Club Blu’s resolve was amazing, as they held a surprising 12 point lead at half time, despite being overshadowed by the flash of seemingly every member of Jive Records. Despite an offensive barrage to begin the third quarter, Jive Records flash eventually got the best of them as turnovers and defensive lapses were a huge dagger. While Wiggans (21) and Dyson (28) were a dynamic duo offensively, they each had great difficulty handling the bigger, more mature backcourt of Club Blu’s Jon Lucky(31) and Keith Corthan(27). Kelly poured in 25 in the loss.
Despite Gomes’s absence, Club Blu’s 128-122 upset of Jive was thoroughly enjoyable. I found that standing courtside, and by “courtside” I mean two feet on the court at times, the atmosphere had pushed the players to another level. The prospects of having 6-10 giants barreling into the crowd, diving for loose balls, and full length of the court ally-oops crescendoed into jubilation for the joy of victory and the agony of defeat. The constant beats that blared from the speaker and the resident hype man were an excellent soundtrack to the evening. The perfect way to lift one’s spirits while in a steamy gym.
The dominance of the 3 young UConn freshmen was evident from the beginning. This despite the fact that each is also participating in daily 2-3 hour scrimmages and practices on the Storrs campus. This bodes well for an upcoming season for the UConn men, with as many as nine new players factoring into the mix this season. The better these guys get at playing with one another the better before offical practice starts in October. The result against more mature players must improve, and lets hope they don't steal anything.
According to early reports this morning, Ryan Gomes could be in uniform tonight when Club Blu faces Live Ya Life in the first game of the best of three championship round. I know I’ll be there, with a few hundred Hartford basketball fanatics. Nothing moronic about that.
Luckily, Thursday night I found that redemption was spelled “GHPA”. No, this not a drug. It is the Greater Hartford Pro-Am basketball playoffs. Spurred on the notion of watching some excellent ball, the night offered up a unique view of New England’s rising star. That’s the city of Hartford for those of you not in the know.
The GHPA is in it ninth year, and has featured various players from the area including many of the UConn greats, like Ray Allen, Talik Brown, Hilton Armstrong, and Khlid El-Amin.
And of coarse the great Ryan Gomes.
After driving through two torrential down pours, I eventually found myself at the Fox Middle School, a venue far too small to contain all the energy on this evening. In game one, number 2 seed Liv Ya Life defeated Cambyland 107-94. Former UConn underperformer and traditional GHPA standout Edmound Saunders scored 29 in the victory. His dual with ECSU’s Charles “The Beast” Easterling was outstanding. Cambyland was out matched at the point and the wings, but were able to cut a 17 point second half Liv Ya Life lead to 3 late in the fourth quarter. With the overwhelmingly pro-Cambyland crowd in frenzy, Liv Ya Life proceeded to crush all hopes of a Cambyland victory with a torrid 12-2 run.
The big game of the evening pitted Club Blu, featuring the great Ryan Gomes, and players from Jackson State, URI, and Utep versus number 1 seed Jive Records, featuring three incoming UConn freshman Doug Wiggins, Curtis Kelly, and Jerome Dyson. Like the 05-06 UConn men, Jive Records was full of ridiculous athletes, as the warm up drills seconded as an unofficial dunk contest. At this point the gym was filled with an absolute mass of humanity. The rafters filled, viewing around the court went at least three deep. Despite Gomes missing the game due to injury, Club Blu seemed unfazed by defending champions Jive early leads. Kelvin Davis’s drive through the lane and subsequent jam over Kelly sent the gym into hysteria that stopped the game for three minutes. Davis finished with 32 points. By the middle of the second quarter it was clear this contest was going to be a dog fight, and that the eventual GHPA champion would probably be decided. Club Blu’s resolve was amazing, as they held a surprising 12 point lead at half time, despite being overshadowed by the flash of seemingly every member of Jive Records. Despite an offensive barrage to begin the third quarter, Jive Records flash eventually got the best of them as turnovers and defensive lapses were a huge dagger. While Wiggans (21) and Dyson (28) were a dynamic duo offensively, they each had great difficulty handling the bigger, more mature backcourt of Club Blu’s Jon Lucky(31) and Keith Corthan(27). Kelly poured in 25 in the loss.
Despite Gomes’s absence, Club Blu’s 128-122 upset of Jive was thoroughly enjoyable. I found that standing courtside, and by “courtside” I mean two feet on the court at times, the atmosphere had pushed the players to another level. The prospects of having 6-10 giants barreling into the crowd, diving for loose balls, and full length of the court ally-oops crescendoed into jubilation for the joy of victory and the agony of defeat. The constant beats that blared from the speaker and the resident hype man were an excellent soundtrack to the evening. The perfect way to lift one’s spirits while in a steamy gym.
The dominance of the 3 young UConn freshmen was evident from the beginning. This despite the fact that each is also participating in daily 2-3 hour scrimmages and practices on the Storrs campus. This bodes well for an upcoming season for the UConn men, with as many as nine new players factoring into the mix this season. The better these guys get at playing with one another the better before offical practice starts in October. The result against more mature players must improve, and lets hope they don't steal anything.
According to early reports this morning, Ryan Gomes could be in uniform tonight when Club Blu faces Live Ya Life in the first game of the best of three championship round. I know I’ll be there, with a few hundred Hartford basketball fanatics. Nothing moronic about that.
posted by The Dude at
1:04 PM
2 Comments:
Gomes was in the house friday night. He scored 25, but it was Kieth Corthran's bank shot three as time expired that won the game for Club Blu. simply wacky. Gomes plays the 2/3, probably seeking to refine his offensive game from this coming season. Tonights game should be more of coranation then anything else.
wow was i wrong. Club Blu won the title sunday night in the most intense game of the playoffs 131-127. Izzy Cairo poured in 42 for Luv Ys Life in defeat. Rob and Jon Lucky were unstoppable for Club Blu, who lost a 9 point fourth quarter lead after Ryan Gomes and Kelvin Davis showed up after playing a tournament in New Britain. Gomes ended up with 7 points, and clinched the game with a jam after a steal at mid court. Any time the score is tied at 127 with 30 secods left, its been pure entertainment. There was a bit of contriversy, as some luv ya life fans were angered Gomes and davis was allowed to play after showing up with 8 minutes left in the game. My only problem with it echoced the thoughts of the Cambyland coach, "It just sucks there wont be any more games". There will certainly be next summer.
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