Coolspotting: 30HG '2015 NBA RoadTrip' Champagne and Campaign spots (2 of 2)

It'll be interesting negotiating the trip with 3 other people with various interests. I'll have a fellow running mate who's also a hoops and hiphop head, a buffet enthusiast and a foodie. Personally I enjoy exploring subcultures and supporting local scenes, from wrestling, punk & hiphop to comedy. It's something I seek at home and in my travels, in some cases it overlaps with my love for basketball. We'll be working together to tick off our collective to-do lists as we explore each neighbourhood.

The '30 Home Games' Inside/Outside game
We come for the Basketball, we stay for the Culture

Our local contact in New York will be particularly handy, especially for finding local parks to ball in. One of the first things he did after relocating from Sydney was to find a local hoops league in Manhattan. I'm not a stellar player and haven't had to face tough competition in my travels. Basketball has not been widely played in many countries I've visited, relative to national sports like soccer and certainly its popularity in the States. I'll need to improve my game in the months leading up to the North America trip.
- 30HG NBA Destinations: WrestleMania 29 and Indy Wrestling
- 30HG Destination Spotlight: Finding Comedy in the NBA Cities

- NBA Cities: Eastern Conference
- 30HG mission: Atlantic Division map (Brooklyn, New York, Philadelphia)
- 30HG mission: Central Division map (Chicago, Cleveland)

Below are the many places of interest in the respective NBA cities:

2015 NBA RoadTrip: New York

NEW YORK

New York Knicks

Madison Square Garden 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, 

New York, New York 10001 

Eats
- Joe' Shanghai
- La Esquina NYC
- Stumptown Coffee
- Spitzer's Corner

Comedy
TimeOut New York Comedy listings:
- Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
- Comedy Cellar
- Gotham Comedy Club
- Carolines on Broadway
- Whiplash [UCB Theatre]
- Cake Shop

Streetwear
- Billionaire Boys Club/BBC Bee Line
- Kith
- ONLY NY
- Staple
- Supreme

Wrestling
- 2CW Wrestling
- Empire State Wrestling
- Family Wrestling Entertainment
- House of Hardcore
- Warriors of Wrestling

Others
- 'Book of Mormon' on Broadway
- I'm New Here--Can You Show Me Around? (Jon Ronson and Maeve Higgins @Union Hall)

BROOKLYN & NEW JERSEY

Brooklyn Nets 

Barclays Center 620 Atlantic Ave, 

Brooklyn New York 11217 

Other 

- The Knitting Factory

- Jay & Silent Bob's Secret Stash

2015 NBA RoadTrip: Philadelphia
#NBAPostcards Philly Roadtrip variant

PHILADELPHIA

Philadelphia 76ers

Wachovia Center 3601 S Broad St, 

Philadelphia, PA 19148

Music

Philly-Shows venue listings

- Barbary

- The Electric Factory

- Milkboy

- PhilaMOCA

- Underground Arts

Wrestling
- Combat Zone Wrestling
- Dragon Gate USA Pro-Wrestling
- Extreme Rising
- Keystone Championship Wrestling
- Women's Erotic Wrestling

2015 NBA RoadTrip: Cleveland

CLEVELAND

Cleveland Cavaliers

Quicken Loans Arena 1 Center Ct, 

Cleveland, OH 44115

Comedy
- Cleveland Improv
- Pickwick & Frolic Restaurant and Club [Hilarities]

Music
- The Grog Shop
- House of Blues

Wrestling
- Mega Championship Wrestling

Other
- The Flats

2015 NBA RoadTrip: Chicago
#NBAPostcards Chi-Town roadtrip variant

CHICAGO

Chicago Bulls 

United Center 1901 W. Madison St 

Chicago, Illinois 

Eats
- Garrett Popcorn Shops

Comedy
TimeOut Chicago Comedy listings
- iO Improv Olympic
- Chicago Laugh Factory
- Second City
- Zanies Comedy Nightclub

Find my Eastern Conference to-do list here:
- Coolspotting: 30HG '2015 NBA RoadTrip' Tip-off and Schedule (1 of 2)
- Coolspotting: 30HG '2015 NBA RoadTrip' Champagne and Campaign spots (2 of 2)
- Champagning and Campaigning in the NBA Cities: Eastern Conference edition
- Find other Coolspotting and Subculture posts here

Coolspotting: 30HG '2015 NBA RoadTrip' Tip-off and Schedule (1 of 2)

<< crossposted on the 'Loz in Translation' blog

The '30 Home Games' mission, my pursuit to visit all the NBA Cities officially tips-off in 2015. I'll be joining 3 friends on a two week Eastern Conference roadtrip. Primarily visiting a friend who's relocated to the Big Apple, we'll be passing through Philadelphia, Cleveland and Chicago then cap it off in Vegas. Returning home with a friend, the other half continue for a snowboarding excursion in Utah.

@30HomeGames 2015 NBA Roadtrip (January 26  - February 8)
 New York, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Chicago, Las Vegas

This preliminary trip will serve as a sampler for my 30HG mission. A chance to experience the North American travel infrastructure, budget considerations and hospitality expectations. For our accommodation and travel, we'll be AirBnB-ing and renting a car collectively. Outside of family I've never travelled overseas in a group, having backpacked Europe and South America solo. I've Couchsurfed and rideshared several times but have yet to try AirBnB. In fact none of the guys have, so we're looking forward to the experience.

#NBApostcards: Greeting from the Eastern Conference

I'm not one to make an itinerary, as in life preferring to go with the flow when travelling. I've stumbled onto happenings, made new friends, found places to crash and scored free tickets armed with a spirit of adventure and a curious eye. I usually don't have much lead time heading into a destination as I'm directed by my whims. I found out about the existence of EuroBasket weeks before I headed into Lithuania for the tournament. For FIBA Americas in Caracas, I mentally prepared myself having been forewarned by friends about the Country's complicated infrastructure. I was forced to scrap the playbook when faced with the reality on the ground.

'30 Home Games' figures to be a different experience as I've been researching and anticipating events and places well ahead of time. Whilst I've indulged my interests in comedy, wrestling and music in my travels, the States is the epicenter and birthplace for many of these things which sets some lofty expectations. That's not even considering the NBA!!!
- Find my NBA Roadtrip to-do list here

Eastern Conference NBA Destinations:
Atlantic (NY, BK, PHI) and Central (CLE, CHI)

'30 Home Games' has been 3+ years in the making and now it's really happening. I can't wait!

Find my Eastern Conference to-do list here:
- Coolspotting: 30HG '2015 NBA RoadTrip' Tip-off and Schedule (1 of 2)
- Coolspotting: 30HG '2015 NBA RoadTrip' Champagne and Campaign spots (2 of 2)
- Champagning and Campaigning in the NBA Cities: Eastern Conference edition
- Find other Coolspotting and Subculture posts here

30HomeGames' Collection of Souvenir Basketball Shirts from Vegas, Argentina and Lithuania

Whilst my blog updates have been protracted and sporadic, my fledgling @30HomeGames Instagram continues to develop and has begun to dominate my attention. I update the account twice daily and have enjoyed the constant hunt for basketball-inspired snapshots.

I've also begun looking through the archives, cataloguing possessions and souvenirs accumulated in life and my travels to feature on Instagram. Below are my collection of souvenir Basketball Tees annotated with when and where I got them.

Find the full set on Instagram at #30HGtees

WEAR: 'Las Vegas Summer League' by Adidas
WHERE: Las Vegas, USA (July 2009)

WEAR: 3on3 FIBA Basketball
WHERE: Kaunas, Lithuania (Sept 2011)

WEAR: Official 'Lithuania' tee for EuroBasket '11
WHERE: Kaunas, Lithuania (Sept 2011)

WEAR: Official "Ventspils Basketbola Klubs" shirt
WHERE: Ventspils, Latvia (Oct 2011)

WEAR: 'Dallas Mavericks, NBA Champions 2011' by Adidas
WHERE: Istanbul, Turkey Jan 2012

WEAR: "Angel Dunk" by Argentinian brand 'All Day'
WHERE: Mendoza, Argentina (Aug 2013)

WEAR: 'Australian Boomers' warmup by Peak
WHERE: Sydney, Australia (Aug 2014)

City of Sydney and 'Youth Services' present 3on3 Half Court Games in Glebe

I don't recall the last time I played Streetball since returning to Sydney, it seems I've become one of the asphalt snobs pundits have described. Instead I've opted for organised full court runs in Auburn and Sydney Uni with work and school colleagues. Now that I'm playing more competition basketball I've lost interest in casual outdoor games, which is all that's available when traveling.

My local courts, the Peter Forsyth Auditorium in Glebe provides free access to its facilities on Fridays with refreshments, training and referees. An initiative to foster community amongst neighborhood youths.

Youth Worker Mereani hosting 3on3 Halfcourt games at Glebe

'City of Sydney' and Youth Services present 'City Hoops in the Park'
Free for young people 12-25 years old
3 on 3 and half court games Basketball Tournament
Fridays 3pm - 6pm
Peter Forsyth Auditorium Glebe
Come with team or make new friends. Games will be played on half courts and have free play training
Healthy Snacks and refreshments provided

Youth Services run a range of programs, events and activities. They also offer support and advocacy for young people. For more information contact your local youth worker on 9298 3120

"Everydayness": Heidegger on Death and Kevin Garnett playing a midseason Game in Charlotte

<< crossposted on 'Let's Get Real podcast' blog

An aging Kevin Garnett VS Charlotte's Cody Zeller.  

What does Champion NBA Power Forward Kevin Garnett have to do with influential thinker Martin Heidegger? Authors Daniel M. Klein and Thomas Cathcart in their humorous book on the Philosophy of death finds a way to explain Heidegger's often complicated ideas via a basketball analogy

Heidegger and a Hippo Walk Through Those Pearly Gates:
Using Philosophy (and Jokes!) to Explore Life, Death, the Afterlife, and Everything in Between

Ch 4. Heideggerty-Dog, Ziggity-Boom, What You Do to Me
Look at it this way: Say you're Kevin Garnett and this is Game 7 of the NBA Finals. You're going to play with way more intensity, way more energy, way more life, than in one of those dreary Thursday night midseason games in Charlotte. Heidegger called the latter "everydayness," and he put it down as the ultimate drag. So let's face it squarely, Daryl, this -- right here, right now -- is Game 7 of the Finals, and what a joy it is to be here!

For Heidegger, the worst possible news would be that our souls are immortal. That would condemn us to a never-ending string of those Thursday night games in Charlotte.

My only quibble is the use of Garnett for the example. He's arguably the most consistent and unfailingly intense player currently in the L.

'Posterized': An Artshow Tribute to the Baller Legends. Opening Night September 23 at Blacklisted Gallery, Surry Hills

'Posterized': An Artshow Tribute to the Baller Legends
Grab a flyer at the @ThrowbackStore, Bondi

Illustrator and avid hoops fan Karl Tagle (KYT Illustration & Design) will be exhibiting his new Solo show in tribute to the Legendary names of the hardwood. Featuring the likes of Larry Bird, Dominique Wilkins and Clyde Drexler amongst many, expect to find these stars visualised as Portraits, Graff type and Poster-sized trading cards.

Basketball played an integral part in Karl's upbringing and nostalgia for his youth. He grew up in Chicago when it was firmly MJ's playground, studied in hoopsmad Philippines and currently resides in Sydney. "I've been a hoops fan since early 1991" Karl begins. "The first game I remember was back in the Summer of '91 in Manila watching the Bulls vs Lakers finals on a small Black and White TV. From then on I was hooked and was passionate about basketball. I then moved to Chicago with my family in '94 right when Jordan just retired the first time. I would play ball on a Junior High School team winning our first District Championship. Later that year Jordan returned and the rest was history."

Karl in studio working on 'His Airness'

Incorporating his interests in "Typography, Illustration, Retro Design, Pop Culture, Hip Hop and Funk" with basketball memories from his youth, Karl describes the show as his mixtape for the love of the game. "Back in the day (80's to 90's), Basketball culture was at the golden age in my opinion, just great calibre players aside from Jordan. Everyone at that time knew something about the players back then. The shoes, attire, the marketing of product was just a great age for Ball".

Tuesday September 23 is the opening night for the 'Posterized' exhibition, held at Blacklisted Gallery (648 Bourke St, Surry Hills). Doors open at 6pm. The show continues till the following Monday.

Find Karl Yvan Tagle on the usual Social Media platforms: @KYTID on
- Facebook,
- Instagram
- Tumblr
or on his folio site at
- KYTID.com.au.
Make sure you peep his art in living colour too. See you at the show.

Update:
Great show!

The #Posterized Exhibition: An Artshow tribute to the Baller Legends is underway at #SurryHills and runs till Monday Sep29th. Works by @kytid and presented by @blackpennysurryhills. Make sure to peep it. Grab a print or score the #tradingcards. #kyit #basketball #halloffamers

A photo posted by 30homegames (@30homegames) on Sep 23, 2014 at 2:24am PDT

'One Day Sundays' Block Party goes National: September dates in Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Sydney

Una foto publicada por 30homegames (@30homegames) el Ago 8, 2014 at 1:17 PDT

I had the pleasure of being at the OG 'One Day Sundays' show, since then I've had the event circled on my Calendar as I dug the combination of "Ball, Beats, Babes and Booze'. I lived a short walk away from 'Vic on the Park' at the time and had participated alongside friends at the 3on3 Streetball events they hosted.

VIDEO: One Day Tour / One Day Sundays

Fast Forward a year later, the event and the 'One Day Crew' have blown up. The 7-strong crew comprised from four of Oz Hip-Hop's finest (Spit Syndicate, Horror Show, Jackie Onassis and Joyride) have been touring their album 'Mainline' and enjoy high rotation on Triple J Radio.
The next event this Sunday to cap off August will bookend a September-long Nationwide run where the boys will tour their Weekend banger for the first time to other corners of Oz - Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne. With a triumphant return home, September 28 in Sydney where it all began.

'One Day Sundays': Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Sydney

'One Day Sundays', 1pm each Sunday of September 2014. OneDayers Joyride, Adit and Raph performing DJ sets alongside local spinners:
- Melbourne, Sep 7 @ 'The Howler'. 7-11 Dawson st, Brunswick
- Perth, Sep 14 @ 'Rosemount Hotel'. 459 Fitzgerald st, North Perth
- Brisbane, Sep 21 @ 'The Elephant'. 230 Wickham st, Fortitude Valley
- Sydney, Sep 28 @ 'The Vic'. 2 Addison rd, Enmore
Find all the dates for the September 'One Day' National Tour on the Triple J Gig guide

VIDEO: One Day Sundays @ The Vic

Whet your appetite on the 'One Day' YouTube Channel and we'll see you there Sunday :)
Find other posts on Streetball at 'Vic on the Park', Enmore:
- 30HomeGames will be at 'The Projects and Easts Basketball Game 3-on-3 Comp'
- Easts Basketball League presents 'Basketball Day' @ The Projects

'30 Home Games' on Instagram: Basketball Souvenirs, Streetball and Hoops around the world

Jacques Henri Lartigue: Why I'm getting a camera
I was steadfast (stubborn) in not getting a camera as I had enjoyed the manufactured dynamic when I told people I was without one. I was happy with other people's photos, it became an experiment. It allowed me to live in the moment, any photos of me were candids or documented outside myself.

Many of my basketball experiences during my travels haven't been captured in Photos. I only got my first Smartphone 3 months ago (Shoutout to SP*) and only had a camera for a quarter of my time during Europe 2011 and South America 2013.

The '30 Home Games' mission in pictures
Follow @30HomeGames on Instagram

The main goal of this blog is to have lived experiences, writing about it has been a good way to capture the memories and encouraged me to find more. Often times however it's been without Photographs. I don't have any Courtside shots of the games I watched in Caracas (FIBA Americas) or the during the NBA lockout period that made my time in Lithuania (EuroBasket 2011) so star-studded. Whilst they were fun, my interests are more in personal interactions than celebrity-spotting. I value experiences had outside the arena, often through the prism of basketball but ideally as a participant rather than a spectator.

Some moments only gain stature in my mind due to lack of documentation. I befriended an Amsterdam local at a HipHop bar because of his Amar'e Stoudemire 'Stat NY' shirt. With his recommendation, I took a 30min busride to Amsterdam-Noord for some pickup games which immediately got rained out. Play carried on, a mixed full court game in the wet gray. A moment that has stuck with me for its surrealness.

The last few months up I've set up a '30 Home Games' Instagram to house the photos I do have. Below are a few samples of the types of Photos, Graphics and Hashtags to look out for. A few are crossposted on my my other platforms - The 30HG Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

My collection of sneakers and the stories behind them
Explore #30HGkicks

Basketball references are always shoehorned into each Life snapshot
Porto Alegre, Brazil (Oct 2013)

Streetball experiences at home and in my travels
Bogota, Colombia (December 2013)

Collection of Basketball shirts collected in my travels
Explore #30HGtees

Crossposts of the Graphics found on this blog
'Team UNDFTD' emerge victorious

Basketball adventures found in my hometown of Sydney
'One Day Sundays' (Booze, Beats and Ball) at Vic on the Park

Kindly Follow '30 Home Games' on Instagram. Tell your friends :)

30HG Interviews | Australian NBA Tourism: NBA summer leagues and other pro-am summer events

For international fans traveling to the States during the off-season there are still opportunities to catch NBA action and quality basketball in the summer. Various pro-am and brand sponsored events regularly feature NBA stars and other famed streetballers. NBA summer leagues in Orlando and Las Vegas also offer a limited set of NBA teams showcasing upcoming stars.

My outlet store pickups from Summer League 2009
Find more at #30HGtees on the '30 Home Games' Instagram

Whilst I've had the pleasure of seeing NBA players in action at home (Sydney 2000) and abroad (EuroBasket, FIBA Americas), my only taste of them stateside was during the 2009 Summer League in Las Vegas.

Samsung NBA Summer League: Las Vegas

My friend JY*, a die-hard Pistons fan recently checked out the 2014 NBA Summer League. He had the fortune to preview rookies Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins before they take the league by storm. I quizzed him on the experience and asked him to share some thoughts on what to expect at NBA Summer League and the stars we'll see in the upcoming season. All photos courtesy of JY*

Where did you stay and how long were you in Vegas. How much were the tickets?
I only attended 2 days due to family commitments. We stayed with the in-laws who live relatively close to the stadium. At $28 a day (up to 4 games) I thought that was a bargain, definitely worth it so no need to approach the scalpers.

Australia's own Dante Exum facing down Giannis Antetokounmpo

Basically there are 2 stadiums - Thomas & Mack Center and the Cox Pavilion (right next to each other). If the game you want to see is at the Cox Pavilion - book your tickets well in advance (limited seating). If your games are at the Thomas & Mack you can rock up on the day (plenty of seats).

[Ed: Scalpers approached us during my visit in 2009. As Re-entry with a stamp was possible, opportunists offered discounted stadium access with their replica stamps. I'm sure the system has changed.

The Thomas & Mack Center would later become infamous as it was the site of Paul George's gruesome injury a few week after Summer League play. The non-regulation basket stanchion due to the stadium's cramp spacing partly to blame for the freak occurrence.]

Giannis with an acrobatic layup

Any tips on players to look out for in Fantasy?
From the 7 games I saw, Giannis really stood out for me. Just an unbelievable athlete who had a LOT of confidence at both ends of the floor. He reminded me of Durant to be honest. Jabari reminded me of Melo, he had a lot of maturity and looked very comfortable with the ball in his hands during ISO plays. Great shooter too. Exum looked very comfortable too, great penetrator and fearless. I just think he'll get outmuscled by the bigger 2-guards, so best for Jazz to to play 'run and gun'. Tim Hardaway Jnr was an absolute scoring machine and was probably the most intense player I saw at the Summer League. Shane Larkin also made a big difference for the Knicks when he was on the floor, solid point guard and if Calderon picked up an injury, Larkin would be a double-double player. The players I was disappointed in were Ben McLemore (quiet), Noah Vonleh (lacked activity) and Shabazz Napier (low points + assists) - I sure won't be grabbing these guys on my fantasy team!

Freshman coach Derek Fisher speaking to his New York Knicks

How is Summer League competition? Who would it appeal to?
100% this is for the nerds, definitely not enough star power there to excite the average fans. I honestly thought it was Disneyland though as there were plenty of coaches/players walking around the stadium and if you were lucky sitting in the stands with you! I'm also really interested in rookies and the other up-and-coming sort of players. Running into the likes of Ben McLemore, Nerlens Noel, Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks was really cool. I went up to Austin Daye too, not the biggest name but an ex-pistons rookie.

#2 Pick Jabari Parker leading the Milwaukee Bucks

Any other brushes with fame in Vegas?
Coincidentally went to the PALMS one night and ran into a NBA table tennis fundraiser. Couldn't actually get in but saw Mike Bibby, Mike Dunleavy Snr and Dennis Schröder walk out.

[Ed: If you know your players, you'll have plenty of sightings. During my 2009 experience Walt Frazier hopped into our cab after we were done with it. I congratulated Corey Brewer on a standout performance as he was cashing chips at the Casino]

Philadelphia 76ers "rookie" Nerlens Noel

Which teams stood out for you? Upset Detroit weren't playing?
I think the Jazz and Bucks have a lot of young talent coming through which showed at the Summer League. If the Bucks have Larry Sanders playing, I think they are a very complete team. Same with the Jazz, solid at all 5 positions. Given a couple of years who knows where these teams could be. McBuckets didn't play on the day I went which is probably the biggest disappointment as from previous games it appears he was a steal for the Bulls and gives them another good wing player in addition to Snell and Butler. It was OK, the Pistons played the smaller Florida Summer League. Overall the Summer League was an unbelievable experience for this NBA diehard, still yet to see a regular season game live after 20 years following the league. I would definitely return, the next item on the bucket list is to see a Pistons game for sure!

-------------------------------------------------------------

As a hoops nerd, I'd love to be a part of NBA Summer League or any of the pro-am events available during the off-season. Whilst I prefer the intensity of playoff basketball it's nice to celebrate upcoming talent and witness the future and potential of the NBA in casual surroundings. More often than not, they're also hosted in interesting parts of the country.

I've compiled a list of annual summer events below:
- Drew League (Los Angeles, August)
- The Seattle Pro-Am Basketball League (Seattle, August)
- Samsung NBA Summer League (Orlando, July)
- Samsung NBA Summer League (Las Vegas, July)
- Bobbito Garcia's Full Court 21 (New York City, August)
- Venice Basketball League (Los Angeles, July - September)
- Miami Pro League (Miami, August)

- Nike Hoops Summit (Portland, April)
- Adidas Nations global basketball camp (Orange County, August)
- Under Armour Elite 24 (New York, August)

Find my other posts on American traveling tips from Australia:
- Australian NBA Tourism: Planning an NBA road Trip from outside the United States
- Australian NBA Tourism: NBA Summer Leagues and other Pro-am Summer events

#SBC4 Tournament recap: Road to Glory (2 of 2)

<< continued from #SBC4 Tournament recap: Anatomy of a Champion (1 of 2)

After our low key win and the 30 minute break we were on bench duty. We were able to scout the first two teams who we considered formidable contenders for the Final. The Sonics gained the edge over Rack City in a game that went down to the wire. Their superior rebounding and interior presence overcoming Rack City's firepower. On the other court, hollering could be heard as Gators' guard 'Mik' lit up the Ruff Ryders with 4 triples. Mik was the reigning Champion GM, his long range form foreshadowing what was to come as we faced them next.

A gutsy 31-29 win by the 'Sonics' over 'Rack City'

After our hiatus we began our final Round-Robin, 10 minute game flat footed. The 'Gators' started the game hot, scoring exclusively from downtown on their first six shots. They also had the Tourney's most devastating Center and best Floor General so they controlled the game in the half court, lobbing it to their Big Man in the paint for easy points.

With 7 minutes to go and trailing 15-24 I'm sure it dawned on us that even if we were fortunate enough to win it all, it would lose its sting if we hadn't gone Undefeated. Our Big, "Superman" started the slow climb back with consecutive buckets before resting. Our last pick and virtual lock for 'Steal of the Draft' began to take the game over, forcing turnovers, hitting "And Ones" and a handy trey. Incredibly, 'Chang' had been making a case for each trophy the whole tournament. His performance in this game would have made it tough for the GMs voting for MVP. Remarkably we clawed our way back, trading baskets to close the match. "Uncle Drew" hit the clutch go-ahead jumper, our first lead of the game. 'Big D' got a questionable call the other way and knocked down his Free throws to put the Gators' back on top. With 20 seconds left our other Big 'Linsanity' dribbled it forcefully inside to hit the game-clinching deuce. 28-27, we survived. It was clear the team took it's name to heart. Whilst the title picture remained just as uncertain, this game showed we had the fortitude to match all Challengers

The epic comeback coming to fruition

The Semis pitted the Gators' against 'Rack City'. We would face the 'Sonics' who dropped to the 4th seed on for and against. Both matches were replays of our opening games, our showdown mirrored the first but shots were falling this time as both teams played loose. The 15 minute halves for the Championship stages worked to our advantage having the deepest roster. As we had a chain with solid links and standout players we could simply outlast opponents as their Stars got tired. The 10 extra minutes was the difference in our rematch with the Sonics.

The #SBC4 Stat sheet

Our toughest matchup, the Gators' faced a different problem. After being torched by 'Cannings' they applied a 'Box-and-One' defense for the rematch to contain him and force the other players to score. It was a fatal misdiagnosis as they underestimated the supporting cast and the equally deadly 'Taiwan Tiger' and 'Ridirkulous'. Rack City dominated, almost beating them by double. The 'Gators' unable to reverse their misjudged strategy change.

Whilst we expected the daunting prospect of facing the Gators for a Finals showdown. The incredible 50+ point Semi Finals performance by Rack City signaled they were coming into form. The MVP trophy was up for grabs with at least 5 players staking their claim. Check out these Tourney averages:

RACK CITY
#8 Cannings (Top scorer, 1st Overall pick) - 12pts, 3asts, 5rebs, 2stls, 1blk
#41 Ridirkulous (Double Double) - 10pts, 10rebs, 1stl, 1blk

Team UNDFTD
#11 Leo (Team leader) - 7pts, 3asts, 3rebs, 3stls
#2 Superman (Force in the middle) - 6pts, 5rebs, 1stl
#0 Chang (8th rd selection) - 6pts, 2asts, 3rebs, 2stl, 1blk

VIDEO: #SBC4 Finals recap - Team UNDFTD vs Rack City

Whilst the MVP trophy could have legitimately gone to any of these standout players, it was the Finals that ultimately clinched it. Leo in the game that mattered most dropped 9 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals to claim the award. To be fair his supposed "Stand-in" dropped a comparable line, in many ways 'Chang' wasn't an understudy as much as a duplicate of the MVP. He even challenged for 'Defensive Player' honors from the Guard position, the award going to 'Superman' who was an imposing anchor for our team.

Yes we did! 'UNDFTD' Championship Celebration.

Team UNDFTD, #SBC4 Champions

We did it! All the hard work and preparation paid off. Bringing on sideline coach Jesse was instrumental to our success and incredibly 'Jonesy' remained Undefeated claiming his 4th title. This one surely the sweetest, taking home the Championship trophy for orchestrating arguably the best campaign of #SBC tournament history.

Another amazing event hosted by Von RM. The standard of play, organisation and competition keeps improving with each iteration. Can't wait for the next one.

Update:
The impressiveness of the team was revealed in the following Tournament's Draft when 4 of our stars were selected by Round 2. The whole squad picked up by the fourth - SBC5 Draft Results

Find posts on previous Star Basketball events
- 30 Home Games participates in a Final Four Tournament
- 30HomeGames at the 2nd Star Basketball Tournament
- Star Basketball Tournament II recap
- Star Basketball Tournament III: Kicks on Court Gallery
- Recap of the 3rd Star Basketball Tournament
- #SBC4 Star Basketball Tournament IV: Kicks on Court Gallery
- #SBC4 Tournament recap: Anatomy of a Champion (1 of 2)
- #SBC4 Tournament recap: Road to Glory (2 of 2)

2010 FIBA World Championship posters

Below are a collection of Wallpapers to whet your appetite whilst we wait for the #Spain2014 promo wallpapers. These are from the 2010 FIBA World Championships hosted by Turkey, before it was rebranded as the 'FIBA World Cup'.

Brazil: Anderson Varejão 

Australia: Andrew Bogut

Turkey: Mehmet Okur

Turkey: Ersan İlyasova

Turkey: Hidayet "Hedo" Türkoğlu

USA: Kobe Bryant

Argentina: Luis Scola

France: Tony Parker

Russia: Andrei Kirilenko

Canada: Joel Anthony 

Puerto Rico: Carlos Arroyo

Spain: Pau Gasol

- List of NBA Players suiting up for International teams at the FIBA Basketball World Cup, #Spain2014
- 30HG: Team USA are the new "Oceans '12"
- Team USA Basketball sings "We are Young" after winning Gold at London 2012 Olympics