Basketball Diaries
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(from the archives)

To the guys at JumpUSA, 

Back in June some of my son's basketball team competed in Dallas' Hoop It Up contest and won their 11 year old division, but not without a struggle.

Even though this team has played together for over 3 years, unlike regulation basketball, they have never competed in a 3-on-3 blacktop tournament. Many of the teams are like most 11 year olds and play multiple sports, including soccer, baseball and football. Basketball to some of them is a seasonal game. The team had only one opportunity to practice once before the tournament due to conflicting sports, but they were prepared to do battle on the blacktop nonetheless. This team has dominated their age group in every athletic association they have played in, partly because of a few dominate players, but mostly because they all know each others strengths and weakness, some thing crucial to any team sport. On the sidelines, every parent is supportive of each other's child and the boys have bonded to be true brothers.

Nonetheless, they were not prepared for their second game of the first day of play, a game against some players that dominated them in not only size, but also maturity [see photo-red jersey].  It was evident that the boys dominated our players only because the boys were much older than the 11-tear old bracket they were competing in, and it was evident in at least one of the players was much older than ours. My son who commented on two of the players before the start of the game, "Those boys have chin hair and hair under their arms." The parents laughed and we told them, we watched them play the game before yours, and told them we could take them. We also mentioned that it would be a very physical, very rough game, a game like no other that they have played. At one point it became so rough, one of the opposing team member got into a skirmish with one of our players and had to sit on the sidelines with a technical.

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Before the game our boys looked the opposition over and took a big breath. However, once they began play, they came into the rhythm they normally play in. One of the team players is Derrick who has a natural gift of sports took control and began setting the plays up, and the NBGH team began dropping the other team's point lead, and increasing theirs. Our big man Tim [5'-3] who is our power forward/center was able to gain rebounds above the two dominant players who were about six inches taller than him. All they could do was watch in amazement. Anthony [June Bug] began smoking 2 points shots behind the arc, while Amile our defensive specialist took care of any picks or rolls they dished out and was able to steal a lot of their passes.
 
For our fifth player Adam, It took all he had to compete against the more aggressive team, and remained extremely intimidated over their size. This small forward could find the easy opening shots behind the arc but had problems in finding the rim. After the game he mentioned that he knew what his problem was, and was disappointed in the way he played. He later that night came downstairs to tell me he found his solution the Internet. In disbelief he took me upstairs to show me a heavy basketball that would help him build up his muscles and would improve his overall game. We went to www.jumpusa.com I read the advertisement and we ordered a ball.

Ordering the ball and DVD came after the Hoop It Up Tournament and for the past few weeks we have been following the training DVD and practicing in the driveway for yet another competition in Austin Texas. Even though Adam isn't a gifted player, he has heart, conviction and is always looking to improve his game. From a father, I find this refreshing coming from him, thanks JumpUSA.

Did the NBGH team win or go all the way? Well, yes they went undefeated in the tournament and proved it takes skill not size to win. They also lived up to the name the coach gave the team NBGH {Nice Boys Go Home].

Team picture [l-r] Coach Anthony Williams, Derrick Jefferson 4'11, Emile Cinque 4'11, Anthony [June Bug] Williams 4'10, Adam Burchfield 5'1, Tim Cruise 5'3

The update:

Adam is now in the 6th grade and attends Lakewood Elementary School. He continues to include in his workouts the heavy ball and the drills he saw on the jumpusa.com's web site. This summer he attended 3 basketball camps; one was the Dallas Mavericks Hoop-It Up Basketball Camp @ Highland Park Middle School. This camp ran by the Dallas Mavericks during the summer uses high school and middle school basketball coaches. The Mavericks run this camp all day for a weeklong intense clinic.

During this Camp Coach Hammons from JL Long Middle School was impressed with Adam's ball handling skill, endurance, and ability to make the difficult shots. After the camp the coach called and invited Adam to try out for his 7th grade team. This fall he will play on the 7th grade team, and if he works hard enough, the coach said he might move him up to the 8th grade team, and possibly use him as a small forward/guard on the 8th grade team.

With this success, another boy on Adam's basketball team, Kamearon Willard also ordered the heavy ball in order to improve his game.

Roy Burchfield
Dallas, TX


Team Jumpsoles
Five Time Hoop It Up Champions
Phoenix
L.A.
Oakland
San Jose
Salt Lake City
L to R:
Sergio Gutterriez
Kevin Beals
Rob Davis
Richard Fell
 
Jump USA - How are ya'?? I've been really busy lately, I've meant to stop by and say hello. The San Jose Hoop It Up went pretty horrible for us. We had to forfeit the very first game. The first game of day #2 was scary. We played against a group of hardcore gangbangers. They brought like 20 of theirgang member buddies to watch them. First play the damn guy grabbed Rich by his throat and told him he was gonna kick his ass. Rich told him to go ahead and hit him (disqualification). 

About three plays later, I grabbed a rebound and the guy just slugged me in the head. I kinda lost my composure and threw the ball at the guys head. That's when my team took me out of the game. After I cooled off a bit, I jumped back in. I had so much adrenalin, I shot two air balls in a row. 

Then, the guy did a pump fake, I jumped to block his shot and he under cut me. I fell over his shoulders, but rather than crash alone, I grabbed the guy's neck. He crashed too. When I turned my head, I saw a fist coming right for my face. Luckily for my face somebody caught him before impact. That's when the gang on the sidelines told me they were going to kill me after the game. It was total chaos, but who won? We did. With all of my adrenalin, I shot from about thirty feet to win the damn game. It was by far the roughest game I've ever played in. We ended up winning about six or seven in a row, but we ran out of gas in the eighth game (semi-final). Haven't played any tournaments since. Anyway, I hope all is well. I'm sorry I haven't been in touch. Talk to ya' soon...ROB

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