In the summer of 2007, an unknown, unranked player named John Wall drove 18 hours from his home in Raleigh, NC to a Try Out Camp in Chicago. John had no reputation to speak of, no scholarship offers, no invitations to exclusive camps…All he had was a chip on his shoulder, something to prove, and an unwavering swagger. John Wall took control of his destiny, earned his spot to an elite Reebok event. From there, he became the BREAK OUT player of the summer, rising to the number one ranked player in his class.

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Shooting Touch, Inc. Celebrates Sabbatical Program Launch

at Reebok International Headquarters

BOSTON – The non-profit Shooting Touch, Inc. will celebrate its newly established, first-of-its-kind, ‘Sabbatical Program’ that will grant select graduating college seniors the rare opportunity to experience a 10-month international, independent work program outside of the United States. The program’s mission to use the sport of basketball to give back to the global community, influence positive social change and convey life saving skills to 3rd world communities. The first recipient of this grant is Tome Barros, a BC High and Hampton University Graduate, Dorchester, Massachusetts native and Cape Verdean immigrant.

WHO: Jay Troiano (Head Coach for the NBA’s Toronto Raptors), Kenny Atkinson (Assistant Coach of the NBA’s New York Knicks), Mark Recchi (Boston Bruins), Pete Philo(International Scout for the Minnesota Timberwolves) Coach Bob Hurley (2010 Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee and National Championship High School Coach), Fran Fraschilla (ESPN Commentator) and Lenny Clarke(Actor, Boston Comedian).

WHERE: Reebok Headquarters 1895 J.W. Foster Boulevard, Canton, MA 02021

6:30 pm                                    Silent Auction Cocktails & Dinner

8:00pm                                       Silent Auction Tables Close

Guests Proceed to the Basketball Court

8:15pm                         Presentation

                                         MC, ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla

9:00pm                         Live Auction Begins

                                          Daniel J. Flynn, Auctioneer

                                          Lenny Clarke, MC

WHAT: Shooting Touch, Inc. is a basketball non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization based in Boston, MA founded in 2007 by Justin Kittredge, a basketball footwear executive. The organization is based on the premise that basketball’s positive influence on the lives of children can make the world a better place. Shooting Touch, Inc. has three goals: to help EDUCATE young people about life skills including setting and achieving goals; to MENTOR all players and give support whenever needed; and to COACH the fundamentals of basketball to improve individual confidence both on and off the court. 

The Board of Directors for Shooting Touch Inc.’s Sabbatical Program include:

• Kenny Atkinson            Assistant Coach for the NBA’s NY Knicks
• Dee Brown                   Former NBA Star
• Wayne Embry              NBA Hall of Fame Inductee & Former General Manager of the Cleveland

                                                    Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors

• Danilo Galinari              NBA star for the NBA’s NY Knicks
• Coach Bob Hurley        National Championship Coach for the St. Anthony Friars & a 2010 NBA

                                                    Hall of Fame Inductee

• Bobby Hurley, Jr.         Former Duke University and NBA Star
• Pete Philo                      Director of International Scouting /Player Personnel for the Minnesota Timberwolves
• Jason Terry                  NBA star of the Dallas Mavericks
• Jay Triano                   Head Coach for the Toronto Raptors

With the awarded $25,000 stipend from Shooting Touch, Inc. funding his journey, Tome will be working in Brazil, Senegal, Cape Verde and South Africa through his newly created entity B.O.U.N.C.E, Basketball Outreach Unifying Neighborhoods & Communities Everywhere. With Tome leading the B.O.U.N.C.E team, people will learn important life lessons on and off the court. Along with teaching fundamentals of basketball, B.O.U.N.C.E is prepared to educate on AIDS/HIV, healthy eating and exercise. B.O.U.N.C.E has devised a plan to use the sport of basketball as a platform to influence positive social change and improving the awareness and importance of physical activity to underprivileged communities.

Springfield, MA April 12, 2010 – Adidas Basketball is proud to announce the formation of the first ever Adidas New England Basketball Coaches Clinic, coming to the birthplace of basketball, Springfield, Massachusetts, on May 22, 2010 at Central High School.  The clinic will feature some of the best coaches in the game today including, Former New Jersey Nets Head Coach, Lawrence Frank, Kansas University Coach Bill Self, Indiana University Head Coach Tom Crean, Boston College Head Coach Steve Donahue, UMass Head Coach Derek Kellogg, Former Boston Celtics Head Coach John Carroll and Wagner College Head Coach Danny Hurley.

The clinic will be held on Saturday, May 22, 2010 at Central High School in Springfield, Ma.  It will be the only chance to see such a variety of top coaches in the game today in the New England area, amongst these coaches are some of the top in every level of the game from the high school to college and to the professional ranks, Adidas has brought the best and brightest in the game back home to where the game first started, Springfield, Ma.

The clinic will be $125 per coach, along with the teaching of these top coaches, each coach will receive a T shirt from Adidas as well as a Coaches Packet and a lunch.  For each additional coach in a program the cost will be $100 dollars.

To learn more here.

Our goal is to bring these events back in 2011 and look forward to working with the interested sponsors bringing the events back making them bigger and better in 2011. We appreciate all of the support in the past and wish only the best to those Ballers who are trying to reach their goals!

Featuring 300 teams from 44 states and three countries at its peak and 136 teams from 28 States last summer, the Rebook Summer Championships were produced in Las Vegas for the last three years by the same management team that produced the massive Big Time tournament locally from 1995 through 2006.

Building a series of summer events held annually during the special viewing period for college basketball coaches, the Summer Championships provided the template by which the National Collegiate Athletic Association developed and implemented the NCAA rules and regulations for sanctioning summer prep basketball tournaments.

“It’s hard to let go of something that we all worked so hard to develop, but we have exhausted all efforts to secure the sponsorship needed to offset the loss of our sponsors and without it, we cannot operate at the level that we developed that has become the standard for these summer prep basketball tournaments,” said Jim Allen, veteran Southern Nevada prep basketball coach who was a co-founder of these summer tournaments and director the last several years.

“We have a group of dedicated core workers of over 100 who contributed greatly to the success of these tournaments over the years and helped us to reach the stature we have, but without adequate sponsorship we cannot provide the quality experience for nearly 5,000 young athletes each year that we have and we will not produce an event if it is not up to the standards we have achieved. Because we so strongly believe in the value of this summer event and our commitment is so great, we will continue to seek sponsorship in an attempt to bring the event back in the summer of 2011.”

Using as many as 24 courts at 12 high schools in Southern Nevada and headquartered the last several years at Foothill HS in Henderson, Nev., the events have helped hundreds of high school athletes earn college scholarships.

Questions regarding the tournament may be directed to Jim Allen at 702.493.3689.

With the success of our 2009 season we are looking to continue to provide premier events for the Nations top prospects. The BallerCircuit.com 2010 event dates and cities are being planned!

The 2010 event dates and locations will come in December near the holidays. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions for cities you would like to see a Headliner or Proving Ground Regional Combine, let us know.

MEDIA DIRECTOR: Dominic Clark, 702.735.7123

2009 Reebok Summer  Championships
CHAMPIONSHIP DAY RESULTS
Sunday, July 26

Open  Division Championship
Team Detroit 56, D-One  Sports (N.C.) 48

Semifinals

D-One Sports (N.C.) 83,  Franchize All Stars (Texas) 74

Team Detroit 71,  California Supreme 54

Quarterfinals
Franchize All Stars  (Texas) 68, N.Y. Panthers 66 (OT)
D-One Sports (N.C.) 87,  Donyell I (Pa.) 76
Team Detroit 51, MBA  Elite (Miss.) 50
California Supreme 67, NW  Houston Tigers 46

Gatorade/Baller Circuit  Challenge Championship
Worldwide Renegades (Ga.)  79, I Can All Stars (Calif.) 74

“A”  Division Championship
Play Hard Play Smart  (Calif.) 74, Branch West Prep (Calif.) 67

Semifinals
Branch West Prep (Calif.)  77, Nor-Cal Black Pharaohs 55
Play Hard Play Smart  (Calif.) 70, Grand Rapids Storm (Mich.) 64

“B”  Division  Championship
ACA (Calif.) won by  forfeit over Salt Lake Metro Prospects (Utah)

Semifinals
Salt Lake Metro Prospects  (Utah) won by forfeit over Michigan Hurricanes
ACA (Calif.) 95, Inland I  (Calif.) 75

“C”  Division Championship
Colorado Chaos 17′s White  won by forfeit over Idaho Select Black

Semifinals
Idaho Select Black 63,  Santa Margarita Eagles (Calif.) 58
Colorado Chaos 17′s White  69, Colorado Chaos 16′s Blue 49

High School  Division Championship
Positive Direction (N.Y.)  62, Ferris Saxons (Wash.) 55

Semifinals
Ferris Saxons (Wash.) 75,  Hope Christian 70 (2OT)
Positive Direction (N.Y.)  70, Villa Park Spartans (Calif.) 56

In the championship game Team Detroit ran up against D-One Sports of North Carolina. This was a great game at a fanatic pace, with both teams pushing the ball in the open floor. James Terrell & Quincy Miller were ready and willing to except the challenge that would come from Ray McCallum & Trey Zeigler.

In the first half the teams continued to perform  at a high level as they both did previously in the semifinal games. Trey Zeigler turned in ten first half points, as McCallum continued with six of his own while grabbing 6 rebounds, and 2 assist. On the other side Quincy Miller poured in 12 points, 8 rebounds, and also adding a block before the end of the first half with the score at 27 to 28. Team Detroit handled a one point lead.

The second half continued to be a close struggle between the two teams, but like before Ray McCallum would not be denied scoring 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assist along with some help from Trey Zeigler who added 16 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assist to propel Team Detroit to the 2009 Reebok Summer Championship trophy.

In the end this would be a championship that would not disappoint, as the game itself was hard fought, intense, and extremely competitive and a true representation of the entire weekend. As each team prepares to leave to their perspective cities; they will take with them some new exposure and hopefully, great memories of the Reebok Summer Championships.

Thanks to all the participating teams who have attended.

In the second semifinal, the California Supreme would face Team Detroit. This was a much anticipated game as the Supreme came in undefeated, and Team Detroit finally firing on all cylinders. However that would not be the case as Team Detroit ended the first half with a 34 to 28 lead. In the second half Detroit would continue their dominance as four of their players reached double figures, with Ray McCallum (Detroit Country Day, MI) leading with 19 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assist, and 2 steals to carry team Detroit to the Championship game against fast paced, and highlight driven D-One Sports. Gary Franklin Jr. (Mater Dei, CA) would try to keep them in the game by scoring a team leading 13 points, and notching 5 assist. In the end they would fall to team Detroit by a final score of 71 to 54.

In the second quarterfinal game D-one Sports was not to be denied a trip to the semifinals with strong performances from all five starters whom all scored in double digits, with Love Stargell (Quality Education High School, NC) and Bishop Daniels (Word of God Academy, NC) leading the assault with 19 points each. It proved to be to much for the Donyell Marshall team out of Reading, PA. Final Score: D-One Sports 87, Donyell 1 76.

Team Detroit continued to be the cardiac kids of the 2009 Reebok Summer Championships. After having a convincing 31 to 16 lead at the end of halftime, they allowed for the MBA Elite and Deville Smith (TBA) who put in twenty of his own points to climb back into the contest. However after regrouping Ray McCallum (Detroit Country Day High School, MI) helped his team from Detroit with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists to take a one point victory over the feisty team from Jackson, MS. Final Score: Team Detroit 51, MBA Elite 50.

The Create-N-Finish Cup Champion California Supreme would continue to be in rare form as they were too much for an overly aggressive NW Houston Tiger team that could not get a grasp on how to deal with the very talented California team that seems destine to play for the Championship. Dawyne Polee (Westchester High, CA) poured in 16 points as the Supreme finished off the NW Houston Tigers 67 to 46.

Semifinals will continue this afternoon at 2:00pm