SAN FRANCISCO—On Saturday, Red Bull hosted its King of the Rock qualifying basketball tournament at the Panhandle courts in Golden Gate Park.
The city produced a solid turnout and 16 finalists who are now Alcatraz bound.
Several players offered their own strategies to win.
“Stay focused, you can’t let the excitement overtake you, 'cause right now it’s really exciting,” said Sean Rougeau, a San Francisco State student.
“Just play your game,” Pat Ale told Examiner.com.
“First possession, pop a three-pointer,” asserted Eric “Savage” Knackmuhs.
Ale and Knackmuhs lost in their first games while Rougeau advanced to earn a spot on the Rock. He defeated Ale in the opening round.
In the finals, Aaron Weissman hit a last-second three-pointer to beat Nathan Schuett and claim the San Francisco title.
The next and last qualifier will take place at Oakland’s famed Mosswood Park on September 11.
Few courts are as historic as Mosswood. Hoop stars Gary Payton and Jason Kidd learned the game there. Antonio Davis and Brian Shaw once dominated the park's summer league. NBA players J.R. Rider, Greg Foster, and Drew Gooden have all balled there. It’s where streetball legend Demetrius “Hook” Mitchell once performed a 360 dunk over a car.
Will the Hook show up to try and add another story to the legend by dominating the King of the Rock tournament? Anything is possible.
The Oakland qualifier is open to men and women of all ages and playing levels.
Registration begins at 9:00 a.m. and the competition begins at 10:00 a.m.
There are 16 spots left in the finals to be held in the prison yard on Alcatraz on September 18.
The winner will receive a $10,000 prize, a trophy, and bragging rights as “King of the Rock.”
Boston Celtics superstar guard Rajon Rondo will host the finals on Alcatraz.
Rondo’s “2 on 2 Revolution Basketball Tournament” which toured five East Coast cities recently concluded.
Rumors abound that the Alcatraz champion will have to beat the NBA all-star to win the prize package, but organizers insist this is not the case.
For more information please visit: www.redbullusa.com/kingoftherock
Comments
Saw this on Saturday, pretty cool event happening at the Panhandle Park Courts. Might try to go to Mosswood
Yo i am sure this message will never be check but I was wondering if there is a past winners list for the mosswood 3v3 tourney I won it when I was 18 "now I am 33" and I wanted to know if there was some way to look that up
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