Henry Street Youth: We Are the Champions
By Nicole Fogarty
Above: Team BGR 14U with their Championship Trophy
Two Henry Street youth basketball teams won impressive championship titles in the Saturday Night Lights (SNL) City Wide Invitational Basketball Tournament held in May.
In the 14U (for participants ages 14 & under) championship game, Team BGR (with youth from Boys & Girls Republic) faced off Team 301 (with youth from 301 Henry Street). Team BGR defeated Team 301 by seven points to become the first ever SNL City Wide Invitational Rising Stars Champions.
In the 18U (for participants ages 18 & under) championship game, Team BGR took on Team Harlem Boys Club, beating them by six points to become the first ever SNL City Wide Invitational Seniors Champions.
Henry Street team members and coaches Kassandra Flowers, Luis Checa, Shirod Ince, Anthony Andino and James Demsak led the teams to success at the tournament, which was held by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance’s office.
The tournament was part of the Saturday Night Lights Initiative, a collaboration between the New York District Attorney’s Office, the Drug Enforcement Agency, ProHoops, the Police Athletic League and Henry Street that aims to combat youth violence by opening up gyms in underserved Manhattan neighborhoods during high-crime times – Saturday nights. Funded by asset forfeiture funds, youth participate in eight weeks of workouts and drills with professional basketball trainers to help build their skills.
Team BGR 14U
Adrian Torres
Nicholas Natal
Antoine Chadwick
Jarred Lebrun
Jaden Arroyo
Anthony Ramos
Jaylin Lewis
Aaron Parker
Kevin Banks
Team BGR 18U
Jasiah Lewis
Joshua Lind
Kareem Hughes
Demond Parker
Fisher Smith
Romello Cadwell
Norqui Munoz
Aeneas Green
Adnan Ahmed
