High-octane hoops drew hundreds to Harambee Park at Franklin Field last weekend for the 12th annual Crew Love basketball tournament, which this year featured a 10-team men’s competition, a women’s all-star game, and a heated neighborhood rivalry that has become a hallmark of the event, drawing crowds and notables like Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.
The event was created by the passion of a group of friends – Ceasar Veal, Greg Jean, Andrew Angus, Richard Nichols, Phil Bell, Jay Branch, and Philip Jean – who hail from Dorchester, Roxbury, the South End, and other parts of Boston and grew up competing in high school basketball hereabouts, with an emphasis on Charlestown High.
Since 2013 they have presented a showcase for top talent from the region on Blue Hill Avenue every August – and this year, they snagged a sponsorship from Celtics star Jaylen Brown’s 741 Performance wear business.
Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla was in attendance on Saturday with a front-row seat for the Dorchester vs. Roxbury game. Seth Daniel photo
This year’s events was of the best of the series with ideal weather, peaceful crowds and nail-biter games – including a highly anticipated tipoff between rivals Dorchester and Roxbury that Roxbury won in the last minutes, 57-52, tipping the overall series in their favor, 4-3.
The game was the centerpiece of a Saturday that offered a well-attended women’s all-star game, the first-ever youth championship, and the third Mattapan vs. Hyde Park game.
The play of Dorchester’s DeVante ‘Bullet’ Jamison was the spark the team needed to climb back into the game. He hit two clutch free throws late that gave them a chance at the win. Seth Daniel photo
Leading the way for Roxbury was legendary Mike ‘Speedy’ Rodriguez, who is receiving chemotherapy against colon cancer. The former West Roxbury High and Southern Illinois University star was honored by the tournament founders with ‘Speedy’ printed on every uniform to show support for his personal battle.
That honor seemed to motivate him because whenever Roxbury needed a tough basket, he made it, while providing the glue for the team overall. Dorchester got out of the blocks slowly and seemed to have problems gelling – going down 9-0 out of the gate as former New Mexico State star Keyon Jones had trouble hitting from outside, and Roxbury’s defense was stifling the Dot players’ efforts.
Then Franklin Field’s own DeVante ‘Bullet’ Jamison (Jeremiah Burke High School, Farleigh Dickinson University) sparked a comeback along with Shandon Brown (New Hampton School, Niagara University) who hit key buckets to bring the game back within reach as Mazzulla watched with interest from the sidelines.
When Jamison hit two clutch free throws with 1:43 on the clock to make it a one-point game, Roxbury countered with a driving basket down the lane to push Roxbury’s lead to three. Three different Dorchester players had good looks, and scrappy rebounds prolonged the barrage – but no shots went through the hoop.
Keyon Jones lined one up from deep early in the rivalry game. Seth Daniel photo
A controversial out-of-bounds call sent the ball back to Dorchester for another chance, but again, no shots fell from the outside and Roxbury finished it off, sending their fans onto the court to claim their braggin’ rights in a 57-52 victory.
Prior to that thriller, the third annual showdown between Mattapan and Hyde Park went down to the line as well. A scrappy Hyde Park club kept it close, but key free throws by Shedrach Makanjuola (Roxbury Prep, Mercy University) along with tough defense and smart passing by former Cathedral High star Chauncey Cheeks sealed the game for Mattapan, 46-43.
The women’s all-star game, using a new regional approach that attracted young talent to the courts, featured the likes of Taylor Bullock of Boston Showstoppers, who took advantage of her time on the court to impress onlookers.
Asiah Dingle muscled her way inside for a hard-fought two points. Seth Daniel photo
Yet it was tried and true veterans such as Asiah Dingle (Archbishop Williams, Fordham University) and Aarion Bradshaw (Tabor Academy, University of Dayton) for the Pink team that powered them over the Black team and Dorchester’s Ednaija Lassiter (Newton North, University of Rhode Island).
The first-ever youth tournament also brought a new flavor to the competition, with four teams playing on Friday evening for a chance at Saturday’s championship, which was won by the ‘Respect Us or Check Us’ team.
In between games, awards were given out to several notables, including Kim Green, Mike & Al’s Basketball League, John Jackson, Nugget of Beantown Slam, and many others.
Partying on center court in the heart of Dorchester was the Roxbury team, which prevailed on Saturday and moved the heated series in their favor, 4-3. Seth Daniel photo
Shedrach Makanjuola, a rising junior at Mercy University, slammed one home for the Mattapan team late in the game on Saturday. Seth Daniel photo
HAWWS of Dorchester Art Project, Andrew Angus of Crew Love, Frank Farrow, executive director of the city’s Office of Black Male Advancement, and Greg Canzater. Seth Daniel photo
