I AM CHICAGO BASKETBALL Mag JAN/FEB 2017 | Page 39

38 with Mac Irvin Fire and all the college coaches got a chance to see what I can do on the court . It also open my eyes to the opportunities that ’ s out there for me playing this basketball .

BROTHERS KEEPER

HOW DID YOU START PLAYING THE GAME OF BASKETBALL ? DEMARIUS I taught myself like in the 3rd grade and the people around me encourage me to keep playing because I was good . So I kept playing ball . MARKESE The people in my neighborhood ( Uptown ) is big on basketball . I was playing football at first but the hood told me “ nah !” we play basketball and I looked up to them . So I started playing basketball . WHO WAS THE FIRST PERSON TO TEACH YOU THE GAME OF BASKETBALL ? MARKESE Me and my brother was taught the game of basketball up at Clearadon Park by coach John . He taught us the fundamentals of the game . AS KIDS DID Y ' ALL LOOK UP TO ANY BODY ' S GAME ? DEMARIUS I like the Harrison Twins from Kentucky U . MARKESE I looked up to one of the Stamp Brothers from Curie HS . I don ’ t know his name and Charlie Moore from Morgan Park h . s . / U of Cal . HOW WAS THE PAST AAU SEA- SON ? DEMARIUS It was decent . But I could of did a lot better if I would of played it like it was my last AAU season which I didn ’ t . At times I cruised through games . MARKESE It was a great season for me . I got a lot of exposure this season playing

38 with Mac Irvin Fire and all the college coaches got a chance to see what I can do on the court . It also open my eyes to the opportunities that ’ s out there for me playing this basketball .

BOTH OF Y ' ALL HAVE COMMIT- TED TO COLLEGES ALREADY . TELL ME WHY ? DEMARIUS I chose the University of Southern Illinois because I felt like I could come right in and be an impact on that team right away . MARKESE It was an opportunity I couldn ’ t pass up . I felt like the first school that offers me a scholarship is the one that really wants me the most . It just happen to be Kansas U . Which is a big time basketball school . It also happens to be my dream school and I never thought I would of gotten an offer from them before this . So it was an opportunity I couldn ’ t refuse . UPLIFT BASKETBALL IS CUR- RENTLY ON THE MAP AND THE NORTH SIDE FEELING LIKE Y ' ALL COULD REALLY GO ALL THE WAY TO THE CITY CHAMPIONSHIP . IS THERE A LITTLE PRESSURE ON YOU ? DEMARIUS I don ’ t feel pressure . I ’ m just trying to make everybody proud of us up North . MARKESE It ’ s a lil pressure . I don ’ t want to let nobody down . But at the same time we gon do what we have to do once we get on the court . HOW IS IT PLAYING WITH EACH OTHER IN HIGH SCHOOL ?
DEMARIUS I love playing with my brother . It ’ s just really hard to explain . I knows he got my back in games . I really enjoy this . MARKESE Its 50 / 50 . We have disagreements during games but when we in our zone , nobody can stop us . The public League playoffs is coming and we gon have it all together . And it ’ s not normal for 2 brothers to be playing on the same high school team at the same time . So we got to get the most out of this opportunity as well . WHO IS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE NBA ? DEMARIUS The spurs Kawhi Leonard MARKESE LeBron is the very best player but I like Russell Westbrook FAVORITE GYM SHOES OF ALL TIME ? DEMARIUS Jordan 11 ’ s hands down MARKESE Jordan 11 ’ s & Jordan 9 ’ s WHO IS THAT ONE PLAYER YOU ‘ TURN-UP ’ TO PLAY AGAINST ? DEMARIUS All the top ranked players MARKESE Ayo Dusunmu of Morgan Park & Justin Smith of Stevenson h . s .
THE PUBLIC LEAGUE PLAYOFFS ARE HERE ! BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR ‘ THE SHOW ’ TO MAKE SOME GREAT THINGS HAPPEN FOR UPLIFT HS . BIG UPS TO VINCENT BUTLER AND UP- LIFTS COACHING STAFF . GOOD LUCK ON THE REST OF THE SEASON .