‘The Courts’
Outdoor basketball facility at St. Regis is building a reputation
By Nolan Geraghty
Chieftain Staff
Night light … Sleep well.
Basketball is basketball no matter
where it is played. From the inner city
playgrounds of New York to the rural
farms of Indiana, the game is all about
getting buckets. Around the world, there
are hundreds of iconic basketball courts,
such as The Cage in NYC, Venice Beach
in California, and Holcombe Rucker
Park. Without a doubt the most iconic
court in the world, Rucker Park, located
in Harlem, NY, is home to NBA Hall of
Famers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,
Wilt Chamberlain, Julius “Dr. J” Erving,
and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe.
A small, isolated basketball court
behind St. Regis School may be giving
Rucker Park some competition. Located
on the west end of the Catholic Ghetto, it
is simply known as, “The Courts.” This
gritty platform, covered in the blood,
sweat, and tears of its legendary players,
is what makes it so special.
Players at The Courts have a different
edge about themselves. There is nothing
flashy about these kids. They dive for
loose balls, use ball fakes, take charges,
and are never afraid to take a transition 3.
These are the kids who grew up idolizing
Brian Scalabrine.
Each player at The Courts has a special
element to his game that separates him
from everyone else. Players at The Courts
range from up-and-coming stars to savvy
veterans. Some of them include:
• Mikey “Junk Yard Dawg” Shaffer,
known for his corner 3 and high
Alec DeLuca
•
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Chris Lynch
basketball IQ
Jack “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, known for
his silky smooth finger roll, and his
unorthodox shooting form
Will “Blue Light” Duncan, a crafty
lefty with a hint of European big
in his game, has never seen a heat
check he didn’t like
Tommy “T-Bone” Shaffer, an intel-
lectual player with an innate ability
to pull up well beyond the arc
• C