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AND 1 Legends dismiss local challenge
AND 1 Legend, The Air Up There throws a big one down at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Sunday night. (Photo courtesy of Guyanalive.com)
Wildfire All-Stars' Ryan Stephney (left) sizes up AND 1s Africa at centre court in a one-on-one move Sunday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall. (Photo courtesy of Guyanalive.com)
By Edison Jefford
What started as a serious game between the Wildfire All-Stars and the AND 1 Streetball Legends became another AND 1 Mix Tape filmed live at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall with AND 1s the Professor, Africa, The Air Up There and Bone Collector starring.
The national Wildfire All-Stars’ only chance was in the first two minutes of the game, after then it was Showtime when ferocious dunkers Africa and The Air Up There along with ball handlers, Professor and Bone Collector took the main scenes of the movie.
Notwithstanding the presence of their personal camera crew and overhyped MC, fans were adrift with the super athleticism of AND 1s Africa, who, very often, caught the lobs from the Professor on remote locations and completed jaw-dropping dunks.
At moments, he handled the ball, danced to the intermittent hip hop beats, sprawled his tongue at the camera crew and then hastened to elevate over whoever was in his way to complete windmill and two-handed reverse dunks from every corner of the court.
His only match was The Air Up There or Mr. 720, who has one of the best and most difficult dunks in the world with the double 360 move. While he did not get to perform the dunk Sunday night, basketball enthusiasts saw the other weapons in his armoury.
New junior dunk champion, Elton Jefford Jr. sails over Tyrone Hamid to complete a one-handed dunk that gave him the title at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall Saturday night. (Photo courtesy of Guyanalive.com)
Unlike the tall and lanky Africa in a Mohawk, The Air Up There has height that undermines his jumping ability. Nevertheless, the AND 1 superstar made dunking look easy at the famous Cliff Anderson Sports Hall, floating to look inside the ring on most occasions.
Every time Mr. 720 elevated, his eyes at the ring was parallel. He literally did what he wanted in the air and his guards, Professor and Bone Collector ensured that he got the ball on the many fast breaks the AND 1 Legends had during the exhibition game.
Just for the records, the AND 1 team led 68-27 at halftime and 101-55 at the end of the game that had senior dunk champion, Tyrone Hamid as its leading scorer for the Wildfire All-Stars with 18 points upon its completion. No other player was in double figures.
Guyana’s Stephon ‘Penny’ Henry showed briefly that he is talented enough to match the skills of the United States-based AND 1 Legends, but all the other local attempts fell flat, except for those basic dunks that Hamid completed for mere pride and consolation.
After the Wildfire All-Stars realised that they were no where close to the proficiency of the AND 1 Legends, they basically went through the motions, and rightly so because thereafter enthusiasts were treated to plays and moves some had only seen on television.
In other All-Star Weekend related activities, Georgetown defeated Linden in both the junior and senior All-Star games while Hamid relinquished his junior dunk crown to Elton Jefford Jr. while Hamid won the senior dunk title. Orin Rose is the three-point champion.
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