Goodman League Charity Event Succeeds

Ron Bailey, Publisher

Charities benefit from game's largess. For SportsGroove TV video coverage, click here.

August 24, 2009 – At McDonough Arena, Georgetown’s venerable on-campus arena, Sunday was a celebration of basketball and charity, as the 1st Annual Goodman League’s Charity Basketball Game went off well. Consisting of a high school aged game and another comprising professionals, the event’s promoter was pleased with his shindig.

“It was a good effort” said Miles Rawls, the event’s promoter who also has founded and directed the Goodman League, one of the game’s charity recipients. “It was a good turnout. Next year we will do some more stuff, fan interaction stuff. I’d like to thank Georgetown and Coach (John) Thompson (III) for helping make it all happen”.

The game’s beneficiaries are laudable institutions: The Goodman League, or ‘The Farms’ - a long-standing outdoor summer basketball league in Washington’s Barry Farms neighborhood, and Project Giveback - a food assistance focused non-profit organization that utilizes not only donated money but sweat equity to provide meals during the holiday season.

Miles Rawls (right) introducing Ransom Miller.

Most people on the DC hoops scene are aware of the Goodman League’s effort to bring high level hoops, players and visibility to a community which doesn’t receive enough positive notice and attention. It’s a D.C institution, one that provides enjoyment to all while also showing kids there is more than their immediate world.

Ransom Miller III, Project Giveback’s Director, shared an interesting narrative of the organization and his personal involvement with helping people: “Basically my parents were involved in our church (Oklahoma City)…I got great examples (helping people) growing up.

“When I came to Howard I got a new set of role models. They were always giving back. My fraternity (Omega Psi Phi) was always giving back. And we always give back at my church, Refuge Baptist Church (Silver Spring).

“Basically what I did (in 1995) was to everybody I knew I said ‘Give me 25 dollars’. The second year I approached the same people and others, and said ‘If you write a check, I’m not going to take it unless you help me deliver food’…I didn’t plan this – I was only looking for help in distributing food – but that helped sell it”.

The Charity Game’s contests didn’t have to sell the notion basketball is big and is done right in the D.C. B’more areas. Next year’s will be even better, as Rawls indicated this time around “We only had like three weeks to plan it”.

Be there.

Travel Team Match Up

Baltimore Assault 74 Team Takeover (DC) 71

Team Takeover was up 11 in the third quarter only to see their lead become a 64-all tie with 3:30 to go. Several factors were involved.

“They wanted it more than we did” said senior forward Eugene McCrory, a Team Takeover stalwart. His coach, Kenny Johnson agreed, adding with humor “For charity, we figured we would be hospitable to our neighbors to the North”, before noting “We had too many turnovers and couldn’t keep Josh Selby out the lane”.

Selby driving to the cup.

Selby, a senior at the Charm City’s Lake Clifton High School poured in a game high 25 points, including some crowd-awing plays, one of which entailed driving and putting it down in traffic. Josh was instrumental in his team’s comeback, putting on a performance fitting one of the most highly recruited guards in America.

His B’More Assault teammate, senior guard Dante Holmes (19 points) cited a reason for victory as “We just wanted to play hard as a team”, and that they did. Senior swingman Devon Sadler, opined “It’s always a lot of good competition, I like playing against D.C. (players).

Ben Hazel, a senior swingman led Team Takeover with 19 points, while senior guard Vic Oladipo finished with 16, including several of his seemingly requisite rim-rocking dunks.

Pro Game

Blue 126 White 105

In the professional tilt, the highlight was a battle between two National Basketball Association players, Kevin Durant and Andray Blatche, to the roar of the well-packed McDonough Arena crowd: The pair of NBA forwards went back and forth, basically one on one, delivering three-balls and dunks. For a charity event, it doesn’t get much better than that.

“It was all just for fun” said Durant, a third year pro with Oklahoma City, considered one of the best young players in the league, of Blatche. “He’s a tough player to guard”.

Durant off the bounce.

“It was good, hard competition” noted Blatche, who is in his fourth year with the Washington Wizards. “He got me, and I came back. I’m going to give him his credit”.

Durant finished with 40 points, including 31 dropped in the first half for the Blue team. Andrew ‘Spongebob’ Washington chipped in 21.

Jeff Green, Durant’s Oklahoma City teammate led the white team with 28 points, while Blatche supplied 20 points. A player from B’More, simply named Brandon, poured in 24.

Extras:

Durant on what ‘The Farms’ means to him: “Every time I come back, the first thing I try and do is come back to Barry Farms and play. Without Barry Farms, I don’t know how good I would be”.