Ballers Network Where Players Live

BallersNetwork.com is a regular presence at the premier basketball events around the world, including Nike Pro City at Hunter College in Manhattan. We were there last night for the championship connecting some of the world’s best players to BallerNetwork.com. Below is a recap of the action … Be sure to check back soon for more info and if you and your boys haven’t signed up yet for the BallersNetwork Facebook application to track your basketball life, get on it today …

Team Prime Time entered the Nike Pro City playoffs as the top seed. Queensbridge had to defeat X-Men to get in; they peaked at the right time and had the best player in the entire tournament in Houston Rocket forward, Ron Artest. When the two squads faced off for the league championship and the right to go to NYC’s Tournament of Champions on August 23, the night ended with the speakers pumping MC Shan and Marley Marl’s “The Bridge.”

Prime Time came out hot, with former Texas Longhorn Reggie “Hi Five” Freeman hitting a couple deep treys and Sundiata Gaines getting to the rack at will. Queensbridge steadied the ship, as Daryll “Showtime” Hill kept them in it with numerous slashes to the basket for lay ups. Prime Time threatened to blow the game open with the score 51-49 and just under three minutes left in the first half. They closed the half on a 10-2 run, as Freeman hit another trey with 18 seconds left in the second quarter to give Prime Time a 61-51 lead at the intermission.

Queensbridge made a run of their own mid-way through the third quarter and tied the game on a superman-like one-handed put back dunk by Ryan “Special FX” Williams. They then rode the moment to take the lead and entered the fourth stanza with an 80-78 advantage.

In the fourth quarter, the pros that suited up for both teams - Ron Artest for Queensbridge and Marcus Williams for Prime Time - showed why they are paid so much dough to play the game. Williams seemed to hit an “activate” button and began to score at will, sticking deep jumpers and finishing drives to the bucket. Ron Artest was vintage Ron Artest, knocking down jumpers with defenders draped all over his arms and getting to the basket when he pleased.

Down the stretch though, Prime Time couldn’t buy a free-throw as they clanked freebie after freebie in the fourth quarter. In the end Queensbridge had it rolling like a well-oiled machine as they knocked off Prime Time 118-106 to win the Nike Pro City championship and advance to the Tournament of Champions on August 23.

Artest was named MVP after leading all scorers with 35 points on 4-for-8 shooting from three (23 in the second half) and pulling nine rebounds. Showtime Hill scored 20 and dished six assists, while Jarrid Frye contributed 19 for the champions. Don Williams came of the bench for Prime Time and led his squad with 20 points and 11 boards. Williams added 19 points, on 3-for-6 shooting from behind the arc, for the losing side.

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All year long, Pro City MC Brawley has been saying that Special FX is the highest-jumping man in the world. Last he made believers of all in attendance. Special FX threw down one dunk where his chest was above the rim. He not only gets up high, but he follows through on the dunk with authority. At one point it looked like the rim would come off in his hand after he completed the one-handed put-back.

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