Chicago United Hoops Classic All-Star Game

The Chicago United Hoops Classic is an excellent event. It is an all-star game at the University of Chicago’s Ratner Athletic Center that aims to end the violence in the city by bringing together players from West Side schools and South Side schools. The event, MC’d by co-creator Jobba Maxey, tries to bring awareness to the community regarding the senseless acts of violence that still plague Chicago neighborhoods. The camaraderie between the players-even the ones on opposing teams-was enough to bring a smile to the faces of everyone in attendance.

One of the more emotional parts of the CUHC came when Tony McCoy was honored. McCoy is a Chicago Park District supervisor whose son was killed by gun violence just before he was set to leave for Champaign to play for the Parkland Community College basketball team. Also honored was Sonny Parker, who was presented with a lifetime achievement award by his son and top prospect Jabari Parker. Mr. Parker received the award for his involvement in the community from countless summer leagues to his direct interaction and mentoring of young men in Chicago.

There was also a huge standing ovation when McGlother “Mac” Irvin was honored. Irvin is often referred to as the “Godfather” of basketball. He has coached some of the all-time greats throughout his career such as Shawn Marion, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal. Irvin made a point of teaching not just basketball, but also lessons about life. Irvin’s AAU team and many of his summer camps still have an impact on the community even today.

The game itself was exactly what you would expect from a Chicago high school basketball all-star game. The pre-game warm-ups included some dunks that many would consider better than the ones you see in the NBA Dunk Contest. Once the game started the ridiculous athleticism of Chicago athletes was on full display. Players went coast-to-coast early and often, using the speed of their point guards to push the pace of the game.

At halftime I asked Simeon standout Russell Woods what he looks to bring to a game like this and he gave an answer that would surprise many: defense. “In all-star games, there isn’t a lot of defense played,” said Woods, “so we definitely wanted to play good defense.” That answer personifies the attitude of Chicago basketball. The game was intense and featured both teams using full-court presses.

Plenty of excellent prospects were on display, including DePaul’s Bill Garrett Jr., who showed his chemistry with former Morgan Park point guard Kyle Davis (who is Dayton-bound) on numerous great passes including an awe-inspiring alley-oop. The scary thing is that the six-foot, explosive Davis may not have been the best athlete playing, since the game also included Ole Miss-bound Laqoun Treadwell who is also the number one wide receiver in the country and will actually playing football rather than basketball at Ole Miss.

The most intriguing prospects for the West Side were Elliot Cole and Ben Moore. Cole’s ticket to fame was when he scored a whopping 63 points to go along with 10 assists in a game that many consider the best ever from a player who is under six feet tall. Moore is a lanky forward who will be attending Southern Methodist University to learn from legendary coach Larry Brown. Moore used his length and athleticism to dominate the boards throughout the game.

Ultimately, history was made as the South Side won for the first time in event history. The MVP of the game was former Hyde Park forward Moshawn Thomas who used his impressive hops to protect the basket and finish high above the rim. The event was a huge success and looks to continue to spread the message of peace over violence for years to come.

By: Michael Walton II