[Streetball’s Finest – 9.3.14] – Hot Sauce In Manila 2014
Inks:
FLASH aka g_sk1lls Images: Flash, Joy and Nicole Ramos, and Hype Streetball official Facebook fanpage
Hey AND Juans, last August 30, 2014, the greatest
streetball player in the world – Phillip Champion a.k.a. HOT SAUCEplayed in
his first ever game in the Philippines, held at the Makati Coliseum. It featured local streetball icons such as
Lil Wizard, BallHustla, Bounce, and the rest of the Hype Streetball team
against the Open Run Select Team. A
couple of celebrity ballers were also present to hoop with the Hype team, musician/actor/dancer
Young JV and PBA player Eliud “Eloy” Poligrates of NLEX.
Hot Sauce doing what he does best - BREAKING ANKLES!
Prior to the actual game,
AND1 Philippines’ Flash was part of the organizing team, spearheaded by Hype
Streetball’s Nino Ventura and Angelo Moratillo.
Negotiations and discussions with Court Kingz’ Victor Martinez were
finalized by late July 2014, and with barely a full month to bring Hot Sauce
over to Manila for his historic visit, the local team were able to secure the
necessary permits and accommodations.
The team behind Hot Sauce's very first visit to the Philippines,
shot taken a month before the main game.
Hype Streetball, Court Kingz, and AND1 Ph - taken upon Hot Sauce's arrival in the Philippines.
Hot Sauce with AND1 Philippines' Flash throw up the "One's."
Check out more behind-the-scenes below!
BallHustla, Mr. Hangtime, and Flash - pre-game.
Early bird arrivals for the Filipino crowd that
came out to watch the Hot Sauce In Manila main game.
Hot Sauce with his Hype Streetball teammates, along with
Victor Martinez of Court Kingz, and Flash of AND1 Ph.
After the main game, whose beneficiary was the
Philippine Basketball for Jesus (PBJ), Hot Sauce stayed for almost an hour
signing autographs and partook in photo ops with his adoring fans. The meet-and-greet session ended with a shot
of Hot Sauce, the Hype Streetball team, and all of his fans in the coliseum.
Hot Sauce and Victor Martinez flank Mark Mcdowell
of the Philippine Basketball for Jesus, the game's beneficiary.
A shot of the crowd swarming Hot Sauce for autographs and photo ops after the game.
Hot Sauce with his Filipino fans.
Check out the Hype Streetball (click HERE) and
Court Kingz (click HERE) official Facebook fanpages for more pictures and video
highlights from the event. Continue to
follow AND1 Philippines in Twitter (@and1ph) and LIKE us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/and1ph. And that’s the 411, AND Juans!
Flash of AND1 Philippines, Hot Sauce, and Victor Martinez of Court Kingz
The PBA's own version of Hot Sauce -
Eliud "Eloy" Poligrates with Nino "Lil Wizard" Ventura
Lil Wizard sets up his defender with an array of dribbles.
[Streetball’s Finest – 8.26.14] – “Hot Sauce” is coming to the Philippines
Inks:
FLASH aka g_sk1lls Images: "Hype Streetball" and "Hot Sauce" official Facebook fanpages
Great news, AND Juans! The best
streeetball player in the world – Phillip Champion a.k.a. “Hot Sauce” - is coming
to Manila this month of August, made possible by Court Kingz and our very own
Hype Streetball.
In his first-ever Philippine visit, the
sensational streetball legend made famous via the AND1 Mixtape craze back in
the early 2000’s will be playing an exhibition game with some of the best local
ballers for a good cause. The
beneficiary of the event will be Philippine Basketball for Jesus (PBJ).
Recognize royalty.
Check out Hot Sauce's craziest plays by clicking the YT link below.
The main game will happen on August 30, 2014,
8:00PM (gates open 7:00pm) at the Makati Coliseum, Makati City. Tickets for this historic visit can be
availed via the official Hype Streetball Facebook fanpage (click HERE), prices
are Php 250 (Lower Box) and Php 100 (Upper Box). Check their page regularly for more
information regarding the official tour schedule.
Grab 'em while they're HOT!
For interested ballers, a series of open-run
tryouts on the same day will happen by 2:00PM at the Brgy Poblacion court in
Makati, facilitated by members of the Hype Streetball team. Selected players will get to play against Hot
Sauce in the main game.
Right after the main game, Hot Sauce will be
having a short meet-and-greet session for his fans, so make sure you don’t miss
out on one of the biggest streetball events to ever happen locally. Practice your handles, pull out your AND1
Mixtape gear, lace up your AND1 kicks, and grab your tickets for the “Hot Sauce
In Manila” game.
Limited edition shirts will be sold at the venue.
Find out more via the Hype Streetball FB fanpage.
AND1 Philippines will be officially covering this
event, in coordination with Hype Streetball.
Continue to follow us in Twitter (@and1ph) and LIKE us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/and1ph. It’s about to go down, AND Juans!
[Streetball’s
Finest – 12.11.13] – The Hot Seat with
SMOKIN' ACES - Part 2 of 2
Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls Images: Brian Kortovich (via email and Facebook) /
Various (Ben Draper Photography / Kevin Couliau)
Last week, we posted Part 1 (click HERE)
of the blog feature about a professional basketball player with legit
streetball credibility – 2012 EBC Rucker Park scoring champion Smokin’
Aces aka Brian Kortovich. We continue his story in this week's blogpost.
Don’t let Brian’s
boyish looks fool you, AND Juans. At 190
pounds and standing at 6 feet, BK,
as he is also known, can light it up from anywhere. It’s actually a mystery why they don’t call
him the Human Torch, since this guy can just flat out shoot the ball with the
best of them.
Chasing that coveted NBA roster spot, Kortovich has been part of both
the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets preseason camps, and is on pace to have
another major push this season for the fulfillment of his dream. More of his
replies and insights below:
Flash: If you actually had to pay to watch
any baller play, who would that be?
Smokin’
Aces: “Right
now, it would have to be Kevin Durant.
Not only is he the most skilled player in the League but humility and
strength define who he is. Since getting
to know him a bit (after my recent injury this summer), it’s impossible not to
root for KD! After it’s all said and
done, his impact off the court will trump anything he's done on it. And that's saying a lot. I have nothing but love for KD!”
(click to play)
Flash: Which NBA player have you already met
and/or played against? Tell us more about your NBA player experiences.
Smokin’ Aces:
"Being
in NBA preseason camps has allowed me to run elbows with both the New Jersey
Nets and New Knicks rosters (2009 / 2010) - both starters / reserves day in and
day for weeks upon weeks. Going head to
head with these players and holding your own gives you confidence to know you
can play with anyone.
(I’ve also met) Lebron James - growing up in Cleveland,
Ohio…we've rubbed elbows a few times playing in the summers.Other big names include Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e
Stoudemire, Gilbert Arenas and
more.
Ohio's finest - BK with LBJ.
Rucker Park - Summer
2013
Although I was injured
this summer and wasn’t able to defend my scoring title, I helped coach our team
Hillsong - NYC Hustlers with one of my closest friends, Carl Lentz, who pastors this local Church in NYC. We ended up winning the Finals and made a little
history in the process, 1st team to ever bring 5 NBA starters to a game at the
Rucker - having an all NBA starting lineup with Kevin Durant, David Lee, Kent Bazemore, Landry Fields,
Jay Williams. Other players included Chris Smith and Scott
Machado.”
EBC Rucker Park scoring champs
Smokin' Aces (2012) with Kevin Durant (2013).
Flash: Tell us about the basketball scene in
Cleveland and New York. We do know it is crazy out there but if you can
put it into words, do elaborate. How does it feel to be part of the NY basketball
scene?
Smokin’ Aces:
“Cleveland is where I was
born and raised. There has been a
pipeline of great players to come out of the city in Lebron James, Earl Boykins, Charles Oakley to name a few…BUT to ball in the “Mecca of NYC” and
make a name for yourself, there's
nothing like it! It's something that
I will never forget.
Not being from NYC - it's very tough
to not only get on the court of the best tournaments like the Rucker, Dyckman,
Nike Pro City, etc but to do that and earn a nickname at the legendary Rucker
is something very special and humbling feeling.
After starting from the bottom and networking to get on at all the top
NYC tourneys was by no means easy and impossible at times - I just kept at it
and kept at it. Once I got my
opportunity, well the rest is history. It's
been one humbling and incredible journey to say the least - something I will
always cherish.
Like they say if you can make it in NYC,
you can make it anywhere! Plus you are
playing against the best of the best - day in and day out. It's hard not to bring you’re A-game or trust
me, you will get embarrassed.”
Flash: Please do tell us about your new AND1
shoe. Was it a special model that was customized for you?
Smokin’
Aces: “Well the opportunity from the shoe became a
possibility after winning the scoring title at EBC Rucker in the summer of
2012. Later that winter I sat down with
Rob and Dexter and we went to work with the process. They respected my hustle and grind as I did
the AND1 brand. It's a great fit for
both sides.”
Brian also has an existing foundation - Aces in Action
- a "charity for change" that was launched in the summer of 2013.
AIA provides free basketball camps/clinics in the NYC to less-fortunate
kids who may not be able to afford personal basketball training/ instruction
but are aspiring young hoopers looking to take their games to the highest level
possible.
AIA also sells ACES gear to promote a worthy cause to continue the
search for the cure of cancer. Proceeds go to American Cancer Society and
other charitable organizations.
You can catch BK online by following him in
Twitter (@SmokinACES1) or thru his official
website (www.briankortovich.com).He also has an Instagram account (@smokinaces1).
Feel free to send an email to us at and1pinas@gmail.com for your suggestions
on who you want to be seen here next. Please
check out and LIKE our Facebook fanpage (facebook.com/and1ph) and follow us on
Twitter (@and1ph) for more news, spotlights, and the latest updates
about the And1 brand in the Philippines.
For now, check out Smokin’ Aces’ parting message to his fans:
“Don't
ever be afraid to dream big, have goals and chase the things that are truly in
your heart! Nothing comes easy - I'm a prime example of that. BUT if you
fight, work hard, believe in yourself you can accomplish things beyond your
wildest imagination.
Believe in yourself even when others don't…stay true to yourself
and in due time you will have no regrets and accomplish the things you've set
forth in life! Enjoy the journey, the process ... it's not always about
the end result but how you stay true to yourself and how you respond to tough
situations – that’s what people will remember the most!
[Streetball’s
Finest – 12.4.13] – The Hot Seat with
SMOKIN' ACES - Part 1 of 2
Inks: FLASH aka g_sk1lls
Images: Brian Kortovich (via email and Facebook) /
Various (Ben Draper Photography / Kevin Couliau)
The
spotlight shifts to a different kind of baller for this month’s “Streetball’s Finest” feature. A professional basketball player who has made
his name known in one of streetball’s most sacred playgrounds, New York City’s
Rucker Park – he is described as a sweet-shooting point guard with excellent
playmaking skills. He is no other than BrianKortovich aka SMOKIN’ ACES.
Hailing
from Cleveland, Ohio, this dead-eye shooter not only caught the attention and
adulation of many scouts, players, and coaches from the NBA and the NBA
D-League, he was also EBC Rucker Park’s 2012 leading scorer. Talk about street cred.
2012 EBC scoring champion Brian Kortovich running a play at Rucker Park.
Chasing
the dream to make it to the NBA since graduating from college back in 2006,
Brian has extensive international experience in play-for-pay hoops, making
stops in Kuwait, France, Israel, and the Dominican Republic. His efforts and work ethics have earned him
spots in both the New York Knicks and then New Jersey Nets preseason camps,
plus securing a draft selection from the NBA D-League.
Brian
(or BK) was kind enough to answer my
questions that I sent via his email despite his busy schedule. Here’s what he has got to share:
Smokin’
Aces: “First of all, I want to
send my thoughts and prayers to all who have suffered (due to typhoon Yolanda / Haiyan) in any way from the recent events in the Philippines! God Bless the country in the efforts towards
recovery!”
Flash: Who is Smokin’ Aces as a baller / How
did you get your nickname (Smokin' Aces)?
Smokin’ Aces: “BK as a Baller is fiery competitor who has a great understanding
of the game and who doesn't back down from anybody - often having his best
performances when it matters the most. Can
knock down the jumper with the best of them .. NBA or not. What separates him from most is the fact that not
only can he create shots for others but he can also get his shot off at any
time. He's a true leader from the PG
position and is very effective in the pick n roll and can run a team at any
level. (see www.briankortovich.com
>> NBA quotes).
I received the nickname playing at the
legendary EBC Rucker Park a few years back.
Growing up in Cleveland it was always a dream of mine to play in a game
there. I knew the history and all the NBA greats and past NYC basketball
legends who have graced the famous court in Harlem. I was playing for a
team called "Black Wall Street" and got the opportunity to let it
fly. After a few jump shots, some nice
drives to the basket and pouring it in from NBA range and 35 points later...the
Rucker Emcee's Hannibal "The Most
Electrifying One" and EJ "The
Major Johnson" dubbed me the nickname Smokin' Aces..From that day on the name has traveled with me
wherever I go.”
Flash: What is
your trademark/favorite move when you play?
Smokin’
Aces: “I have a couple
moves I go to - my off-the-dribble jumper is one of them from both inside and
outside the 3 point line, and a series of moves off-the-dribble (whether it be
a crossover or between-the-legs crossover to create space/to create for my teammates)
to get to the basket or knocking down the jumper.”
Flash: Tell me
more about your playing style – what sets you apart from the rest of the pack?
Smokin’
Aces: “What separates me from others is my overall court
awareness and smarts about the game. I
can run a team, set others up or score when called upon. I'm a knock-down shooter and can shoot with
the best of them. Often people look at
me as just a shooter because of how efficient I shoot the rock, but in all
actuality I'm a true PG.”
Flash: Who are
your influences in playing basketball?
Smokin’
Aces: “I've always tried to model my game after guys like Mark
Price, Steve Nash. A wiseman once told
me “if you can shoot the ball and handle it well…it's going to take you places!” So I always worked daily on my ball-handling
skills, jump shot and defense - I didn't want to be labeled as
one-dimensional. That work ethic, grit,
and determination has enabled me to get to this point in my career.”
Smokin' Aces with AND1 Live players (Werm, Easy J, etc.)
Flash: How and when did you get
to be associated with AND1?
Smokin’
Aces: “After leading the Rucker in scoring in summer 2012, later that
fall/winter that's when I met Dexter (Gordon) and from there we sat down, had a
few meetings with Rob (Purvy – AND1 President), and got to talking about being
involved with the AND1 Live Tour and also got the talks going regarding the
shoe with AND1. I have a lot of
respect for Rob, Dexter, and Linda (Hill) - they all believed in me as a
basketball player but more importantly as a person. They are family!”
Sneak(er) preview of BK's exclusive AND1 player exclusives
plus custom Rucker Park scoring champ socks.
Continuation
of this article will be posted next week.
For now, check out his in-game highlights at the world-famous Rucker
Park via the Youtube video posted below.
Smokin’ Aces will be talking about his NBA experiences, favorite AND1
pair, and more in Part 2. Stay tuned,
AND Juans!
(click to play)
Smokin' Aces racing upcourt while playing in the
Entertainers Basketball Classic in Rucker Park.
BK being featured in Sports Illustrated China edition while wearing AND1 gear.
[Streetball’s
Finest – 11.4.13] – The Painted Face shows
out at West Coast Dreamers Charity Event (Woodlake HS, SoCal)
Inks:
FLASH
aka g_sk1lls
Images: Jude Thomas aka The Painted Face (via
email) This
month’s featured baller for “Streetball’s Finest” is no stranger to the AND1 Ph
blogsite, him being the 1st ever to be featured in the sub-section’s
inaugural run a few years back. Jude Thomas, aka The Painted Face and Hollywizzle
shared some images of him and the West Coast Dreamers team (founded by Michael
“Airdogg”
Stewart and Haneef “Young Hollywood” Munir) balling at Woodlake High School in
Southern California last week.
He has also shared a Youtube video highlights mix showing
his handles, throwing ‘oops, and entertaining the crowd (clip
embedded below, click to play) while wearing his black/black AND1 Rocket 2.0
Mids.
Check out some of his previous AND1 Ph features by
clicking the links below:
Over
a year ago, we featured one of AND1 Malaysia’s most prominent freestylers –
Scalia Nethanial (click HERE for the
blog article published July 2012).
He’s back with a vengeance this 2013, and as always – has continued to
inspire ballers in his side of Asia. A local
fan favorite who also happens to be half-Filipino, Scalia shared with AND1 Philippines
his story behind the RISE video, the current state of freestyle in Malaysia,
and more.
Here’s
what he has got to say:
Flash: It’s
been quite some time since we last heard from you, how’re things there in
Malaysia and what have you been doing for the last year?
Scalia:
“I continued touring with
AND1 until like October 2012. Was out
for 6 months (due to some personal reasons), then AND1 called me, telling me to
return at their first event of the 2013 tour, and I did. That was the last time
I appeared at an AND1 event. It was on May 2013 at a place called IOI Mall in
Puchong. I slowly left again after
because I wanted to try doing my own thing - I was trying to build up my name
as a brand. Not that I got bored of AND1 or anything, it's huge here. It's the
biggest streetball platform in Malaysia but I wanted to try and succeed on my
own.”
Flash: What were some of the events that you
joined to build your personal brand?
Scalia:
“I just did my own shows.
I performed at a couple of other events like Drift events, phone launches, halftime
shows & more.”
Flash: What can you say about the present
state of basketball freestyling there in Malaysia?
Scalia:
"I’m the only freestyler in Malaysia to
really put freestyle/streetball on the big stage, and I don't say that in a
"braggy" way. I wish there
were more guys doing what I do (here), I’m working hard to not only raise the
AND1 Malaysia brand here but also streetball/freestyle as a whole.”
Flash: What are you aiming for as far as freestyling
and performing for the general public go?
Scalia: "The goal is to inspire more
kids to play this sport. It's healthy and it's really fun. I managed to reach
out a lot of kids this year and that's amazing. I love entertaining the kids
and putting a smile on their face."
Flash: What else keeps you busy nowadays?
Scalia: “Right
now, I’m just working on videos. I wanna
put out more contents on my Youtube channel (http://www.youtube.com/user/ScaliaENT). I recently did a thing called RISE. I'm also working on another video with
Professional Drifters & emcee's right now, that should be great. I have a
lot of plans for 2014 as well.”
Flash: Tell us more about RISE. What is it all about?
Scalia:
“RISE has a message actually.
That whole 6 months that I was gone, I was working my way up from the
bottom. I was rising above every
obstacle that was thrown at me. Right
now I feel like I’m in a better position than I was (before). I thank God for allowing me to continue doing
what I love. It's great that I’m smiling
again and streetball/freestyle is the main reason for that smile.”
RISE 2013
(click to play)
Flash: Any planned collaborations with AND1
personalities?
Scalia: “I
still contact the AND1 guys. I’m also
working with 1 of them - Viktor a.k.a Blackout. We have this thing going on called
3Nine (https://www.facebook.com/the3nine). We plan on doing an event for the youth by
December 2013 or maybe before March 2014. "
Flash: What does AND1 mean to you as a person
and as a freestyler?
Scalia: “Everything
started through AND1. I LOVE AND1, I
live and breathe this brand. One day, I’ll do something big to give back to the
brand that helped me. So, thank you AND1, not just AND1 Malaysia but the entire
AND1 community.”
Flash: Any shout-outs
or anything else that you are thankful for?
Scalia: “Shout-out to you Flash for always covering my
stuff and for raising the AND1 name there in the Philippines. I’m so thankful that i got to work with AND1, I
toured to lots of places, had so much fun.”
Scalia can be found online via Twitter (@ScaliaNethanial), Facebook
fanpage (Facebook.com/RealScalia) and Instagram (@scalianethanial).
More local and international streetball players to be
featured soon. Feel free to send an
email to and1pinas@gmail.com for your suggestions
on who you want to be featured next. Don’t
forget to LIKE our Facebook fanpage (www.facebook.com/and1ph)
and follow us on Twitter (@and1ph). And
that’s the 411, AND Juans!
