The City
CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA
Cape Town is widely considered one of the most scenic and beautiful cities on earth. And I can confirm having been there, it lives up to that reputation. My plan was to play a game on court that had the iconic Table Mountain in the background, however due to an event in the city, that court was unavailable. Despite the setback, another court was found that was actually beautifully painted and run to play on. One rim was a little wonky, but a long days activities went ahead, including a clinic in the morning, followed by a long 3+ hour pick up run and an incredible half court contest to win a jersey.
The Run
I was told that Cape Town had a strong basketball culture and I was really impressed by the standard of the players. It was so hot that I thought it might have made for a smaller turnout, but instead, we had a ton of guys and some girls come out and play. As the temperature cooled later in the afternoon, the younger guys kept playing long into the evening.
As soon as I arrived, I knew I was in for a special afternoon/evening. As the sun dipped, the crowd rose and by nightfall, a fully fledged tournament complete with referees, scorers, trophies and even security guards was underway. I got one run in and made my only proper shot, which was a three, but there wasn’t many other opportunities to impact the game.
The Star
The choice for game MVP was a difficult one because so many guys showed out. I could have given it to three or four different candidates but in the end, Dyann, who had endless energy and athleticism, walked away as champ of the day.
