30/06 - Alfredo Tovar Interview
With Aplus films new MadGameHoops West Coast Basketball DVD soon to be released streetballin.net caught up with Alfredo Tovar aka Aplus to get the low down on whats happening with him, his company and MadGameHoops.
BT. Firstly I have to congratulate you on a superb mixtape. I saw the new DVD and I was really impressed. The editing was real nice and there were a lot crazy highlights on there.
Aplus. Thanks man I really appreciate the love. It took a lot of time and patience but through the process I definitely stepped my editing game up. And the footage, once again time and patience. Highlights usually happen when you least expect it, so I had to stay on my toes when shooting. ..read more..

29/06 - The Air Up There's 720 Dunk
Any basketball fan can remember his favorite dunk of all-time. For some, it's Michael Jordan taking off from the free-throw line. Others prefer the old-school Doctor J one-handed thunder slam. For me, the dunk that has always stood out in my mind was Vince Carter's 'It's Over' dunk in the 2000 slam dunk contest, when he bounced the ball off the ground, brought it through his legs in midair and slammed it. It was my favorite dunk ' that is, until Wednesday night. When I heard that Hitchcock native T.J. Fontenette, a.k.a The Air Up There, and the rest of the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour were coming to town, I knew I had to be in attendance. ..read more..

28/06 - 'Air Up There' is downright smooth
It might not quite equate with one of the most important events in history, but And 1 Mix Tape Tour veteran Hugh "Baby Shack" Jones remembers the exact moment he first experienced the skills of Taurian Fontenette on the basketball court. Fontenette, a native of Hitchcock, made quite an impression on the whole streetball crew with his above-the-rim game when the tour made a stop in Houston last year. "I've never seen nobody jump like that before," Baby Shack said during Tuesday night's Crash the Court event at the Fonde Rec Center. "That 360 between-the-legs was enough for me. ..read more..

27/06 - Catching air - And1 Mixtape Tour San Antonio
With about an hour and a half left before tip-off, a healthy rainbow beamed over the East Side of San Antonio. At the AT&T Center, aspiring street ballers of all ages battled the elements in an open run for a chance to become the next star of the And 1 Mix Tape Tour, the premier showcase of the ultimate marriage between hip-hop and hoops. The unexpected rain prematurely halted the festivities outside and the diverse crowd quickly shifted its focus toward seeing their street-ball heroes live and up close. ..read more..

26/06 - "Summer Ball" on MSG - TV Tonight
The exciting world of streetball has made it to the mainstream. Beginning Monday, June 26th, MSG Network presents "Summerball", an exciting, new show that brings to light the streetball culture in a way never seen before. The 90-minute show airs every Monday at 8 p.m. Host of the show and streetball legend, Bobbito Garcia, will follow several streetball leagues throughout the summer including the Entertainers Basketball Classic at Rucker Park, Hoops in the Sun and the Uptown Basketball League. ..read more..

24/06 - The And1 Tour Stop - Denver Representspening
Usually, the And1 Mixtape Tour is about high flying dunks and flashy passes. However, last night in Denver, it evolved into a battle of civic pride. You see, Denver is often not looked at as a city that produces top shelf basketball talent. Just don't tell that to the AND1 squad which took their first loss of the tour in front of thousands of fans at the Denver Coliseum -- including one very well known fan who goes by the name of Melo, who just happened to be sitting courtside with his boy, Memphis Grizzlies forward Hakim Warrick. Needless to say, any event in which Melo is in attendance, is an event not to be missed. ..read more..

22/06 - Opening Night at the EBC: Ain't Nothing Like It
All night long, even the customarily smooth-tongued EBC announcers had trouble coming up with the right nickname. Should it be "Son Rise" or "Son Shine" Actually, either moniker will work. Joakim Noah, the son of fabled French tennis champion Yannick, is such a contagiously son-ny personality that his very presence casts a golden glow onto any basketball proceeding. Loyalty, not so easy to come by these days in sports (or anywhere else), is another one of the kid's attractions. Noah had barely won the NCAA Championship, and the Final Four MVP Award, with Florida, when he announced. "I'm coming back to school. And I'll be back with my people at EBC." ..read more..

21/06 - Rockstars Sign And1 Streetball Star
The ABA Chicago Rockstars and AND 1 star player, "Jamar "The Pharmicist" Davis have reached a written agreement. Jamar will play for the Rockstars for the 2006-2007 season. "We are very excited to have Jamar play for us," said Rockstars' owner Marques Sullivan. "The Rockstars were not only impressed with The Pharmacist's showmanship, but his basketball skills were very polished." "He showed us leadership and basketball knowledge out on the court," said Head Coach Kenny Williams." Jamar is currently participating in the famed AND 1 Mixtape Tour across the United States. ..read more..

19/06 - Slam Streetball Volume
Slam Streetball Volume 4 is out now, check your local newstand for your copy. Heres a little info provided by Phantom_of_Levitation
Slam Streetball Volume 4
Ultimate Guide To Summer Hoops
(Smush Parker, Kicks & Gear & And1's The Air Up There)
Coast 2 Coast - For too long, it looked like his fame would never spread beyond the chain linked confines of New York. But Smush Parker was too patient, and too good, not to make it big. The Avenger - Taurian "TJ" Fontenette has endured enough twists, turns and bad breaks to fill a graphic novel. But when he's healthy, the one they call The Air Up There is nothing less than superhuman on the court. Deadly Game - With cats like Smush leading by example, up and comers like Corey "Homicide" Williams know that street success can be another step on the way to their NBA dream. PLUS: The Entertainer's Basketball Classic, German baller's, Baltimore basketball, gear & kicks, summer tournaments and more...

18/06 - EBC Opening Day 2006
Monday June 19, 2006 marks the celebration of 26 years of success for Gregory Marius and the EBC. This year, the tournament is set to partner with DKMS for a Super Celebration of Life & Hope on Monday, June 19, 2006 at 4pm with a VIP Cocktail Reception preceding the star-studded opening day game. The EBC, the nation’s largest basketball tournament, has created legends & stemmed urban folklore at the Holcombe Rucker Memorial Park for over 25 years. Throughout the years, the tournament has attracted fans from all over the world. ..read more..

17/06 - ESPN City Slam - Semifinal pairings
Intersport, a leading independent producer of sports programming in the United States, has announced the pairings for the Semifinals of its annual ESPN City Slam competition. The Semifinals and Championship will be held this weekend on North Ave beach in Chicago and will be taped for a series of airdates on ESPN. The City Slam will feature 16 dunkers who advanced from a field of 48 in the opening round of competition, held earlier this year in Panama City, Florida. Headlined by 2005 City Slam Champion Chris Lowery, a.k.a. "Skywalker," the 2006 field is stronger and more competitive than ever before. See full list ..read more..

14/06 - Portland Stop Notes
Team AND1 beat Team Portland 108-100. The AND1 team led pretty much the entire way, at various points opening leads of 15+ points. Team Portland kept fighting back behind the play of Circus, a player who AND1 signed for a short stint and will be eligible to earn the full-season contract and $25,000 signing bonus at the end of the this tour. Circus has a very good handle, solid outside shot, and plenty of confidence. The final outcome was never really in doubt - you got the feeling Team AND1 was just playing games with Team Portland...Two Portland locals, Jalonika Martin (with a zebra-like mohawk to go with his cornrows) and Kevin Dizdarevic held their own with the AND1 players, but probably didn't display enough of the entertaining flair to go with solid games to make cases for themselves to get a contract. ..read more..

13/06 - An inside look at life on the AND1 tour - Portland
The AND1 people told me to watch for an outdoor court next to the Rose Garden. Shouldn't be too hard to find, I thought. What they didn't tell me was that I didn't have to look for it. I only had to listen for it. I stepped out of the garage, headed toward the sound ... and into another world. Grayson Boucher's world. And I was about to have more fun while getting paid than I recall having in a long, long time. The brick courtyard between the Memorial Coliseumand the Rose Garden had been reimagined as a playground. A bit of spray paint for the lines and some advertising signage to seal it off and .presto! Instant hoops!. ..read more..

11/06 - Hood Hoops DVD
A handful of street basketball legends strut their stuff on the court while rising hip-hop stars show off their skills in the studio on this home video release. Hood Hoops features music from hot underground hip-hop artists accompanying street basketball footage, with some NBA stars on hand to kick up the action, including Baron Davis, Alonzo Mourning, Patrick Ewing, Gary Payton, Damon Stoudamire, and more. Fat Joe and Sadat X guest on the soundtrack. ..Buy DVD ..

09/06 - The Game and E-40 Take Part in And 1 Mixtape Tour
After the release of his debut album, The Documentary, we found out that The Game has serious skills on the mic. Now, we know he has skills on the basketball court, too. The Compton native had 16 points (including two big dunks), six assists and three steals for the Los Angeles team, who played against the And 1 streetballers on Sunday (June 4). However, the Game's effort wasn't enough, as the And 1 team routed his LA team 102 - 82 in their season opener. Still, the And 1 players respected Game's on-court prowess. "He has some skills on the court," And 1 Mixtape Tour player Kenny Brunner, who goes by the moniker Bad Santa and attended the same Domiguez High School in Compton that Game did. ..read more..

09/06 - And1 Volume 9 [AREA] CODES
Every city has ballers. Every city has rappers. In Volume 9:[Area] Codes, we've tried to let them tell their stories " one city at a time. You'll see: The Return of Hot Sauce; Straight up ball from NYC, Philly, D.C., L.A., Dirty South, and the Midwest; Crash the Courts at Barry Farms, D.C., and Kingdome, NY; The Come Up: The Air Up There, Sylk, Assassin, Bad Santa; The Best of the 2005 Kingdome and Barry Farms summer leagues; The Best of the 2005 Open Run and Mix Tape Tour; and The Soundtrack is banging at you in Dolby 5.1 Surround Sound and is bringing that true mix tape feel with over 20 artists represented. ..read more.. .pre-order..

08/06 - Ubisoft shoots And1 Streetball to retail stores
The Most Authentic Streetball Video Game to Date Now Available in Retail Stores. San Francisco, CA June 8, 2005 – Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announced the availability of AND 1® Streetball in retail stores for a suggested price of $39.99. Developed by Black Ops for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and the Xbox® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, AND 1 Streetball is the ultimate basketball experience and features all the jaw-dropping moves of authentic streetball. With unprecedented depth, freedom and control, AND 1 Streetball features the entire roster of sensational AND 1 MixTape Tour players such as AO, The Professor, Spyda and Pharmacist – each with their signature moves and look. ..read more..

09/06 - We Reminisce Kobe Bryant at Rucker Park
His pops had played there, sharing the storied blacktop with men like Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond, Pee-Wee Kirkland and The Goat back in the 1970s. And if Kobe Bryant was truly going to make an inroad to define himself as the greatest basketball player of this generation, he had to play there, too. There, of course, is Harlem's legendary Rucker Park. And on July 18, 2002, Kobe came to play. Because these days, respect earned on the playground can be just as vital as respect earned in front of 20,000 paying customers. Or, as Greg Marius, CEO of the Entertainers Basketball Classic at Rucker Park, puts it: "[Kobe] needed street cred, and this is the best place to get street cred." ..read more.. ..watch clip..

08/06 - MadGame Hoops West Coast Basketball DVD
Available July 1st 2006. Aplus Films presents the definitive west coast Basketball/StreetBall DVD, MadGameHoops: West Coast Basketball DVD. The 45 minute movie includes footage and interviews from the hardwoods and playground courts from around the city of Los Angeles. MadGameHoops lays claim to its slogan as The King of Hoops. The best players, the best highlights and the best basketball action from sunny Southern California. Top Street-Ballers such as No He Didnt, Aplus , Lue Skywalker, Black Handle and others, contribute unbelievable dunks and moves that will leave you jumping out of your seat. MadGameHoops West Coast basketball gives you an insight into a style of basketball played in Southern California simply known as MADGAME. ..read more.. ..watch trailer..

06/06 - And1 Mix Tape Tour - The Los Angeles Stop
When And1 approached Waliyy "Main Event" Dixon to assemble a group of streetballers to help in making the second version of the popular And1 Mix Tape, Dixon never thought the event would become a summer-long tour showcasing the best talent not in the NBA. At this year's first Tour Stop in Los Angeles, Dixon reflected on what has now become an incredibly popular draw as a worldwide phenomenon - "this just shows my hard work in being one of the founders of the tour," he said. "Now we're bringing in guys that have aspirations to get into the NBA, play overseas or in the NBDL, and it all has become a stepping stone for guys to make it big someday." ..read more..

04/06 - Street cred is going mainstream
The camera crews were in place Thursday night at the Mann's Chinese Theater. The papparrazzi were ready, standing alongside the red carpet, eager to get a snapshot of the next celebrity. With the commotion, one might have thought Hollywood was playing host to the premiere of the latest big-budget, summertime blockbuster. In a way, it was. The celebration was held to announce a new season of "Streetball," a hip-hop version of the Harlem Globetrotters that is a blend of pickup basketball and caffeine. Lots of caffeine. In the past few years the sport has gone from inner-city curiosity to mainstream colossus, a $150 million-a-year multi-media industry fueled by a popular series on ESPN, video sales and a cover story in Sports Illustrated. ..read more..

02/06 - Who is Pat Da Roc? DVD
Mid June marks the projected release date of "Pat Da Roc's" highly anticipated mixtape titled "Who is Pat Da Roc"?. The 45 minute long DVD features exclusive footage from the And1 tour, China, Africa, Indonesia, Dominican Republic and NBA All-Star weekend. As well as bonus footage a special music video has been made for the DVD and is said to be priced between $10 to $12 dollars. Check back here for paypal information and a P.O Box address to get your hands on a copy. ..Watch Trailer..

01/06 - And1 Streetball videogame developer diaries
The highly anticipated And1 Streetball videogame will ship to retail stores on June 6, 2006. As a warm-up before tip-off, follow the links below to watch the four developer diaries that give a behind the scenes looks at the game development of the And1 Streetball. Working very closely with the And1 Mix Tape Tour Players, BlackOps and Ubisoft have created the most authentic streetball experience to date. See you on the court!. ..Create a Move - iBall System - Motion Capture - Story Mode..Download All..