Books and Ball All-City Classic Featured Some of NYC's Elite Hoopers
The 2014 Books & Ball All-City Classic showcased some of NYC's brightest future stars.
The 2014 Books and Ball All-City Classic was held at the Baychester Community Center in the Bronx, NY on Friday, October 3rd and featured some of NYC's rising basketball players.
Cahiem Brown puts a debilitating move on the defense at the 2014 Books & Ball All-City game in the Bronx, NY.
Check up! The 2014 Books & Ball All-City Classic featured the next generation of elite ball players coming out of New York City.
In addition to keeping one's finger on the pulse of the future of New York City's basketball talent—and, of course, spending time on the baseline of my beloved sport of basketball—this event also served as a platform for one of the city's ascending talents on the microphone—Dave "Cha Ching" Teele a.k.a. "Op-Op-Operate".
David "Cha Ching" Teele got into his "Doctor Op-Op-Operate" mode and was in rare form during the Books & Ball All-City Classic. He captivated the crowd from beginning to end with his wit and high energy.
It was Dave, actually, who invited me to the game. Having covered summer hoops in NYC for the past decade, Dave and I have worked in tandem for more than a few basketball events over the years and I am grateful that he invited me out.
Announcer David "Cha Ching" Teele was the catalyst of many a highlight, calling for isolation battles between many of NYC's brightest stars on the horizon. He quipped that that's how they'd get their (Instagram) followers up.
Sidney Wilson '17 is a highly coveted recruit coming out of the Bronx and put on show for the 2014 Books & Ball All-City crowd in his home borough.
His excitement for the game and his role as the emcee is what really drew me in. And I have to say, Dave was in rare form for the occasion.
University of Virginia commit Ty Jerome '15 showed why he was ready for the next level at the Books & Ball All-City Classic. Bronx, NY.
The energy in the gym was electric, in no small part due to Cha Ching's comedic antics. When he changed attire mid-game and came out in an operation outfit, complete with a stethoscope the game shut down for a few minutes while the crowd, players, and coaches admired Dave's entertainment antics.
Isolation opportunities were in abundance much to the delight of the Books & Ball All-City crowd. Bronx, NY.
I hope you enjoy some of my images from the games. I covered both the underclassmen and upperclassmen high school games, which were the last two games of a full schedule of games featuring talented players of all ages.
A product of my NYC environment, I was happy to create my shots from the sidelines of the Books & Ball All-City Classic. Special thanks to Dave for bringing me out and to the players for putting on a show for everyone to enjoy. I hope I get to photograph these young men at the next levels of their basketball careers as they continue to grow and develop.
Roaming the sidelines of these community events, soaking in the energy and excitement is why I love this game. The support from families, friends, elder players and coaches, and basketball fans in general was admirable and a sure sign that the New York brand of basketball is alive and well and will continue to be for many years to come if these games were any indication.