CASEY GARRISON, South Korea - Serving Knowledge to Youth street ball basketball players came to Casey's Carey Physical Fitness Center Nov. 20 to visit Soldiers and Family members.
These players use street ball as a way to share vital messages about the importance of education, staying drug-free, and making the right choices in life. All members of the team live their messages and practice what they preach. They hold college degrees and give back much of their free time in seminars as well as teaching students in the classroom.
Many of the players on the SKY team hail from the famous AND 1 street ball mix tape tour that began in 1996 where the players received their street ball nick names such as Shane 'the Dribbling Machine' Woney, point guard, and player coach for SKY, Anthony 'Half Man Half Amazing' Hayward, center, and Earv 'I'll Be Right Back' Opong, point guard.
"We are bringing the United States to Soldiers because many are homesick having left the states for the first time or staying in a foreign country for more than six months. It feels good being able to give back to our Soldiers," Dennis 'the Spyda' Chism, SKY shooting guard said.
The heavy manned USAG-Casey post basketball team practiced and prepared for their coming game, but the SKY team, composed of nine players, showed no signs of jet lag or fatigue as they outscored Warrior Country's best players 58-39 while pleasing the crowd with amazing slam dunks, alley oops and crafty dribbling techniques.
"Honor and pride is the first thing you get when you see your own country holding it down for the USA trying to keep peace and doing things the right way. You guys have given much to serve your country. We want you to have fun, and see this event as a stress reliever. We hope everyone that came out smiled during some part of the event, and most of all, had a good time," Chris 'the Rain Man' Crumpler, shooting guard, said.
When coming out of the locker rooms, the SKY team made an announcement to the audience. Woney said he decided he would not play the remainder of the game and would assist the SKY team as a player coach, and additionally, the SKY team would tie the game at 58-58 to make it more interesting.
Warrior Country, despite being given a chance to redeem themselves and silence Pope, with 9:01 remaining in the game, could not stop Crumpler as he passed the ball off of the back board from the left side of the key to the right side where Sheiku 'the Sic One' Abba, SKY power forward, tied the game for SKY 85-85. Crumpler capitalized on the very next possession by "raining down," as Pope loudly stated, a three pointer and taking the lead from Warrior Country.
After taking the first and only time out of the game at 4:16 in the second half, Warrior Country's finest was shut down by Crumpler and Chism as they dunked on and threw outlandish passes and alley oops to each other and Hayward as they defeated the Warrior Country 105-94.
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