Top: Event organizers Maxine Bowden and Levi Jordan (brother and sister in-law) pose for a celebratory portrait together after a year-long effort to plan the 3rd Annual Best of the West Basketball Tournament and Arts event. Bottom: Essence Miller of New Haven prepares for a jump shot. Alisha Martindale Photos.
The weather? Hot. The atmosphere? Electric.
That was the vibe on a recent Sunday, as the third annual Best of the West Basketball Tournament took place at Carrigan Intermediate School in West Haven. Friends, fans, and family lined the perimeter of the small double court between noon and 6 p.m. in support and anticipation of their chosen teams and favorite players in what has become a highly anticipated community event.
According to event founder Levi Jordan, who owns Best of the West LLC, the tournament consists of 25 to 30 teams from different towns including, West Haven, New Haven, Bridgeport, Hamden, and Middletown that compete in knockout matches leading up to one final round.
Top: Alberto Colon of New Haven designs a live spray paint graffiti mural at the Best of the West Basketball Tournament. Bottom: Maxine Bowden and Celina Henriquez dance to the rhythms provided by the Massachusetts band, Malado!
Throughout the six hour event, youth teams, adult teams, city all-star teams, girls only teams, and “local celebrity” teams compete for the grand prize, including both trophies and the accolades of being dubbed the "Best of the West."
This year, with the help of American Rescue Plan Act pandemic relief dollars (redistributed by the Arts Council of Greater New Haven and ArtsWestCT) the tournament included a special collaborative feature—artistic performances, live art, and vendors curated by Maxine Bowden of Paradigm Events. Advertised as “a fusion of artistry and athleticism,” the event invited artists to participate alongside the free throws and rebounds happening on the court.
Top: Defense on the court in every direction! Bottom: oach Desmond Lymon poses with one of the the youth basketball teams during the Best of the West Basketball Tournament.
“The Arts & Basketball event was one of 18 projects and organizations to receive a microgrant,” said Elinor Slomba, president of ArtsWestCT. “We were so glad to see it on the calendar the same weekend as West Haven's Savin Rock Festival and hold its own. To see the community meet and reward the organizers' ambition by turning out so strong was amazing. It speaks to an appetite here for artist-led, community driven initiatives and I believe we'll keep seeing more of them.”
“Basketball influences movies, literature, poems, and music because the community gathers around basketball,” Bowden added of the game’s fusion with the arts. “It is the catalyst between someone making it in life, it's how we measure success. It's how we determine someone's fate, essentially. I wanted to showcase the connection between the sport, the art surrounding it, and how it influences someone's future growing up in black culture.”
Jordan, meanwhile, emphasized how empowering basketball can be. “When I reflected on putting my own kids in sports, I realized all the attributes that sports gave me, the characteristics, the will to fight through adversity, the teamwork, learning how to lose well, learning how to win well,” he said.
Teen teams take the court mid-day.
When asked why he started this event, he added that he saw the need among his own kids, and wanted to give back to his hometown on a larger scale. “They needed education, they needed mentorship, they needed fun things to do, so I strove to think of an idea that would be worthy to give them each season,” he said.
Between matches, event goers enjoyed and participated in live performances such as poetry readings by poet Mansa Musa, original R&B music by Jelin Tyler, live covers and original instrumental music by saxophonist Corey Staggers, and even a whole set by Massachusetts R&B, Hiphop, Funk and NeoSoul band, Malado! New Haven Artist Alberto Colon also produced a live mural on the spot.
In addition to enjoying art, event goers also had the opportunity to support local black-owned businesses such as Rich Fitness, Kittys Missy T-shirts, and Treasure Beads, a previous Arts West Micro Grant recipient. Local meal delivery business, Edibolic Kitchen, provided snacks to all tournament participants.
Corey Staggers drove the crowd wild with his covers on the electric saxophone. Shortly after performing, he competed in the tournament.
Twoni Cameron of Treasure Beads, a previous microgrant recipient, helps a customer choose a set of hand-made waist beads.
Willie, Tony, and AJ came out to support their great nephew who competed in the tournament, and Maxine Bowden, who curated the arts portion of the event.