Carly Wanna Photo
Jean Stanley prepares to shoot
Jean Stanley’s smooth layup put the HT Barberz up 43 – 42 in a see-saw battled against Who’s Next in the 90-plus degree Sunday in Lincoln Bassett Park. Then Who’s Next raced down the court for one last chance at victory.
It was opening day of a six-week annual basketball tournament hosted by the Newhallville Neighborhood Corporation –– a nonprofit corporation dedicated to aiding the community through programs like the tournament. Community members field 10 five-person teams to take the court each Sundays.
Anthony Calder.
“They come from other high schools and stuff. Legends, supposedly,” quipped Anthony Calder of HT Barberz.
The tournament began as a small program in 2000 led by Gary Gates –– president of Newhallville Neighborhood Corporation. According to Gates, each week pulls about 100 players, with the last week attracting even higher numbers of community members.
The Sunday games attracts people on two different levels –– through the basketball games of primarily young men (although all are welcome to participate) and the provision of free hot dogs and hamburgers to passersby.
Burgers await the tourney’s participants.
“Disenfranchised communities” like Newhallville too often lack these types of events, Gates said. “It gives people an opportunity just to have a great time and enjoy the day. Nothing other than having great moments in life.”
The HT Barberz-Who’s Next match-up showed how competitive the games get.
While Who’s Next put the first points of the game on the scoreboard , the HT Barberz enjoyed a comfortable lead for most of the first half, entering into the second half up 25 – 21. Who’s Next returned to the court hungry, setting an ambitious pace with an opening three pointer from Davon Warner, the team’s leading scorer with eventually 17 points. Soon after, Warner racked off another three pointer to briefly pull ahead of their opponents.
Just as the HT Barberz’ momentum seemed to be slipping, Calder provided an energizing dunk. It didn’t count for the score; he had travelled. Still, with his team rallying and the crowd cheering, the HT Barberz had regained its footing eight minutes into the second half, and pulled ahead once more.
Gary Gates.
Who’s Next wasn’t folding. Following a timeout, Deshawn Murphy of Who’s Next provided a dunk that again closed the gap against the HT Barberz, bringing the score to 37 – 37 with less than five minutes remaining in the game. Who’s Next then claimed a 40 – 39 lead with two minutes remaining.
With another dunk Keith “DC” Cothran gave the HT Barberz the lead that would stick with their team for the final minutes of the game. Stanley’s final lay-up brought the team to 43. Who’s Next fought for two more points on the scoreboard, lagging by one point.
Keith “DC” Cothran (left) and Deshawn Murphy (right).
Who’sNext regrouped during a final timeout, but fouls called against the team in the last moments of the game crystallized the HT Barberz slender triumph in the sweltering heat.
Tyquise Burney.
Many players Sunday veterans of the tournament. Tyquise Burney –– the highest scorer for the winning team, putting up 14 points –– grew up near Lincoln-Basset Park and has participated in the tournament in past years. He once dreams of the pros; he said he enjoys the ability to play recreationally in his neighborhood.
“The kind of player I am, I like being competitive. I like having fun, too. Basketball’s fun to me, but being competitive – it drives me,” said Burney, who now attends Central Connecticut State University.
Individual coaches from around the community craft their dream teams by reaching out to players they know through their play in various high school and college leagues.
In the end, the result is a free tournament driven by teams constituting anywhere from numbers nearing those of Who’s Next –– which flaunted more than 15 players –– to the modest five playing for HT Barberz.
“We had five,” Calder noted, “but we still took the” game.