Goodman League Commissioner Miles Rawls took his show on the road on June 24, as the Goodman League All-Stars traveled to George Washington Middle School in Alexandria, Va. to take on the Ballaholics All-Stars. Rawls did his best to put together the League’s strongest roster and he chose wisely, as the Goodman All-Stars defeated the Ballaholics, 95-78.
“This is the 20th season and I don’t plan on taking no L’s,” Rawls said.
Since last summer, the Southeast, D.C. Goodman League’s All-Star team has defeated the Dyckman League (New York), Watts (Northeast, D.C.), and now the Ballaholics (Va). Rawls’ ability to put a team together has been flawless. D.C. basketball legend Stacy Robinson of Dunbar High served as head coach, controlling the rotation of Goodman stars.
“I substituted like Georgetown,” Robinson said. “I subbed five for five and we made a great run.”
Hugh Jones aka Baby Shaq, Randy White aka White Chocolate, and Dele Ojo headlined the Goodman roster. Baby Shaq is just coming off of a tour with Ball Up in Australia, and finished with seven points, knocking down two threes in the first half.
The Goodman All-Stars struggled out of the gate, as the Ballaholics jumped out to an early 7-3 lead on the back of their big man, Darian Townes, a member of the Arkansas class of 2008. Townes delivered a huge dunk in the first two minutes of the game that eventually woke up the Goodman All-Stars; he finished with 19 points, leading all scorers.
Goodman didn’t make their first run until Robinson made his first sub of the game, down 28-21 with eight minutes remaining. Justin Black (Morgan State alum) and Bruce Massey (Middle Tennessee) led an 8-0 run for the Goodman All-Stars. When Goodman finally took the lead, they never lost it, going into halftime with a 48-37 edge.
Massey and Black combined for 26 points off the bench. All 12 players on the Goodman roster scored, perhaps the reason why they won so comfortably.
The Ballaholics had a few notable Goodman players who joined their roster, such as Christian Jackson aka Super Boo, Jimmy Black Jr. and Tyc Snow. Joe Posey, a member of the James Madison class of 2006, was also on the roster and scored nine points in the game.
Despite the loss, the showcase was a good event for the Ballaholics who also had a youth game and a legends game prior to the main event. Ballaholics founder Ty Harris is a former professional basketball player who played his college ball at Bethune-Cookman. He also manages NBA players Ty Lawson and Michael Beasley, and WNBA player Tierra Ruffin Pratt among others.
“We already signed up for a rematch next year; was scared so he had to bring the heavy hitters out here,” Harris said.
Harris acknowledged that the Goodman League is the best summer league around, once playing in the league himself during his prime years. He said it was an honor to recognize Rawls’ 20th season as commissioner.
“Anytime you do something for 20 years, it’s great!” he said.
Goodman League games will resume “Inside The Gates” for the upcoming weeks. Competition is steadily heating up and the big names are starting to appear. Aquille Carr aka CrimeStopper, the Baltimore legend out of Patterson High School, appeared this past week, playing on White Chocolate’s squad as they took on the Drew All-Stars. The Drew All-Stars walked out as the victors but Crimestopper gave the Goodman faithful the show they were looking for.