DL HISTORY

Oprah can’t guard me! Stedman has no handle! I can put the Sam Cassell on Gail…If she wants some! I’ll put Dr Phil on smash! I’ve been asked to define the Down Low System…If you have to ask what the term Down Low means…I have to look at you funny. Down Low…anywhere south the free-throw line, even better, as close to the basket as possible. Down Low. In the paint, below the dotted line. Down Low. A universal fundamental basketball principal of attacking the heart of a team’s defense by putting your confidence in the competent offensive hands of your big man. Down Low. There was the Down Low those cold winter nights when Wilt dropped 78, 73, 72 and 100 points. There was the Down Low when Big Kev and Baby Willis gave 3x3 teams fits, with that inside/outside attack. There was the Down Low when Watkins Enterprises of Philly bumped heads with the Pelham Fritz All-Stars.

Down Low. Under the radar. Down Low. Best kept secrets, on the hush-hush, shared on a need to know basis. Down Low. Those who don’t know, don’t know…Those who know ain’t telling. Down Low. A series of closed work-outs, and invitational 3x3 tournaments that took place in the 1990’s in NYC. Down Low. There was the Down Low when the Harlem Rens danced on those dudes from Boston called the Original Celtics. There was the Down Low at the bottom of slave ships, when kidnapped Africans used X’s and O’s to strategize their liberation. There was the Down Low when those Tar Heels went heavy to Sean “Dough-Boy” May before they cut those nets down in St Louis. There was the Down Low in 1946 when the N.B.A. meant No Blacks Allowed.

The Down Low is in effect when Ginobili, D-Wade & Nash are trying to get those shiny rings on their fingers. The Down Low is in effect when we acknowledge and celebrate Dr King, Harriet Tubman, Marcus Garvey, Malcom X and the many elders who continually struggled to make this world a better place. The Down Low is in effect whether you’re playing 1x1, 2x2, 3x3 of full court. The Down Low is in effect when you study. The Down Low is in effect when we teach the youth media literacy, African history and culture. The Down Low System was in effect years before Oprah and Stedman put on the skinny dude, with glasses, with a little book about deviant social behavior. The Down Low System is in effect and the next time I see Oprah, I’ll make sure I tell her that. And if Stedman has a problem with that, we can go to the courts and I can clap backboards on him! He can catch me at NYDLBALL.com

2009 NY Hotel Employee League Champs-Tavern on the Green-2nd Pl. NY Hilton
2009 Ocean City Pro-Am Champs- Pure Game [Philly] 2nd Pl. The Diplomats [DC]
2008 Ocean City Pro-Am Champs- Pure Game [Philly]

2009 Ocean City Pro-Am, MD- 35 & Over Division- Frank's Finest [Baltimore, Md]
2008 Barbados Basketball Assoc.-Under 21 Division- Lakers [Saint Michaels]
2008 Marcus Garvey 3x3 [NYC]- Tavern on the Green-Figueroa/Grassals/ Mercedes -NY
2008 Garvey Skills Challenge Champ- Franky Maldonado
[Nu-Element Productions , Bx, NY]
2008 Garvey Free-Throw Champ- Clinton Williams (9 of 10)
[Destined for Greatness, Bklyn]
2008 Garvey 3-Ball Champ- Frank Diaz (12 Tres in 1 min)
[Nu-Element Productions, Bx, NY]
2008 Coach White Classic [Va Beach]- Watkins Enterprise [Camden/Philly]
2008 NY Hotel Employee League [NYC] Millennium Broadway
-2nd Place- Palace Hotel
2008 Darby-Whimp League 40 & Over [Harlem] Darby's House Team
2008 Pelham Fritz League 40 & Over [Harlem] Celtics
2008 We Can Get Along 35 & Over Div The Bronx Bombers [BXNY] 2nd Pl-Orange Crush
2008 National Pro-Am City League [Las Vegas, NV] Team California
2008 Ocean City Pro-Am Open Division Pure Game [Philadelphia, PA]

2005 GARDEN STATE CHALLENGE/CHAZ HOOPS(NY) DEF ENTERPRISE (Philly) 88-82

2005 GARDEN STATE CHALLENGE/ MT OLIVET(CAMDEN) DEF NYDLBALL (NY)74-55

1st Team to win 2 against 3- The Bronx Rockets[Mike Watkins & Mike Bachety] vs The Umoja Sonics 1997-You gotta' see this!!

Tylor Coley, Mel Conte, Rich Conte, Cedric Dew, Myles Dorch, Julius Edwards, John Enyame, Martin Flores, Jose Garcia, Herman Gault, Dwayne Giles, Jeffrey Giles, Anthony Glover, Andre Green, Artie Green, Eric Harris, Travis Houston, Mike Howard, John Issaacs, David Jones, Raymond W. Jones, Andre Kaalund, Kamal Kaalund, Nzinga Kirnon, Clinton Long, Ralph Mack, Lynnette McBride, Moe McCants, Lionel McQueen, Curtis Mitchell, Andy Morrison, Geof Munroe, Richard Nadal, Mike Napolitano, Mike Oxley, Tramaine Oxley, Mr Paige, John Pugh, Chris Ramirez, Marvin Rogers, John Sampson, John Sanjurjo, John Sanjurjo Sr, Mike Sanjurjo, Andrew Scott, Brian Seales Sister Seales, John Simpson, Oscar Sing, Jason Skeeter, Andy Smith, Dwight Smith, James Snyder, Warren Storey, Jack Styczinsky, Chuck Walker, Teresa Ware, Tommy Webb, Teddy Williams, Ayannah Woods, Eddie Woods III, Ele Woods, LaurenWoods, Tamara Woods…and the many community residents who have worked and played in these tournaments…Thank You!