SLAMONLINE.COM 71Another staple of the summer hoops
experience is the standing-room only
atmosphere. Some parks even end up
turning away spectators before the
games begin due to the overflow of fans
having already surpassed full-capacity.
At Gersh, though, basketball aficionados
get creative when that happens. There’s
always a way to take in the action from
some corner in the vicinity.
“People won’t go back home. People
will find a way in,” adds Pitts. “The park is
so big that people will try to find an
advantage point through the gate or
they’ll stand by the handball court.
They’ll find a way to get a spot. One thing
about Gersh, games start at 6-7, people
are there two and a half hours earlier—
just lingering around—just to make sure
they get in the park and get a spot.
People are very cognizant of how to get
to the park on time.”
As for this season, five other parks
will be looking to bring Gersh’s domi-
nance to an end and dethrone them as
New York’s top playground at the prep
level. Each park has a sense of ownership
and regional representation. And with the
outcome having been the same the first
two years, Gersh is well aware of what
it’s up against, yet it’s still keeping the
same mindset it’s always had.
“For year three, it’s business as usual.
Those kids understand the magnitude of
it—what’s at stake. You’re two-time
defending champions,” says Pitts.
“Continue to try and dominate—because
they haven’t lost a game in two years.
That’s magical for these kids—to go
undefeated two years in a row at such ahigh brand of basketball. The message
that is delegated to the kids is first have
fun and enjoy the moment. But then on
the other side of the spectrum is you’re
representing something bigger.”
Definitely bigger than what any of the
league directors sitting in that initial
meeting could have imagined. NYvsNY
has brought back the buzz that many in
the space felt was missing for some time.
The Empire State has always owned
summer hoops, and after a quick hiatus is
back again in its rightful place.
“Whoever brought this to the table, I
have to put my right arm up and salute
them because they did a phenomenal job
of just creating that excitement again,”
says Stevens. “Everybody was saying
New York basketball is down. I don’t hear
that no more.” SWest 4th