Asphalt Green’s travel basketball 13U team received a very special honor from the New York Knicks. They were named the Junior Knicks Ultimate Team! The award was presented to the team that kept their head in the game, showed team spirit, and found ways to stay connected to their teammates and basketball during the pandemic.
To recognize their accomplishments, the Asphalt Green’s 13U team received very special prizes from the Junior Knicks:
- Virtual meet and greet with Knicks legend John Starks
- Virtual at-home training session with a New York Knicks assistant coach
- Virtual Q&A with Knicks player Reggie Bullock
- Junior Knicks uniforms for the whole team!
It’s been a challenging year for the sports world, but Asphalt Green’s team stayed motivated through virtual practices and socially distanced in-person sessions. Each virtual practice started with a discussion about how each athlete was feeling then transitioned into aerobic conditioning and skill development.
Coach Adrianne has been impressed with his team’s work ethic over the past year.
“This award is a tremendous honor to the organization. It’s been a difficult time for many of our athletes and to see them recognized is this way brings great joy to our entire community,” Adrianne says. “The program has prided itself on inclusion and building a safe environment for our players and families. To see them win brings a sense of fulfillment for all the hard work they’ve put in.”
The players echo a similar sentiment.
Atticus C., a first-year team member, says, “It feels great to be named the Ultimate Team because it shows that all of our hard work is really showing and paying off.”
Thank you, New York Knicks, for this incredible honor. View the announcement on the New York Knicks Instagram.
REACTIONS FROM THE COURT: Q&A WITH ASPHALT GREEN’S 13U PLAYERS
Xander C. (three seasons with team)
Q: How does it feel to be named the Ultimate Team?
A: It feels incredible. The Knicks have been my favorite team since I was little, and to be recognized by them was an awesome feeling.
Q: What makes a good teammate?
A: A good teammate is someone who leads by example, motivates you but also makes sure you know that just because you miss a shot that does not mean you stop shooting. Someone who listens, plays hard, and is kind.
Q: How will this award motivate you?
A: This award showed how hard work truly can pay off, and now I know things like this are truly possible, so I will work twice as hard.
Q: What was your favorite part about meeting the Knicks players?
A: My personal favorite part about meeting a Knicks player and assistant coach was how humble they are. Despite being extremely busy and not having a lot of time, they took time to talk to us, and that was very nice.
Zac G. (three seasons with team)
Q:How does it feel to be named the Ultimate Team?
A: It felt pretty cool to be on a Zoom with people associated with a team that I have been watching and been a fan of for so long.
Q: What makes a good teammate?
A: A good teammate is someone who forgives mistakes, isn't selfish, doesn't care about their own stats, and is a good friend to everyone on the team.
Q: How will this award motivate you?
A: This award will motivate me because it will inspire me to follow in the footsteps of the players that I idolize on the court.
Q: What was your favorite part about meeting the Knicks players?
A: My favorite part about meeting the Knicks players was hearing their stories about certain games and the moments they realized that they had reached the highest level of basketball.
Atticus C. (first season with the team)
Q: How does it feel to be named the Ultimate Team?
A: It feels great to be named the Ultimate Team because it shows that all of our hard work is really showing and paying off.
Q: What makes a good teammate?
A: I think what makes a teammate is someone that can do the little things on and off the court. An example of this is picking up a teammate when they are down and hyping up the team when we are down or having a bad game.
Q: How will this award motivate you?
A: This award will motivate me by making me want to work even harder and continue to improve my game.
Q: What was your favorite part about meeting the Knicks players?
A: My favorite part about meeting Reggie Bullock was getting to know a day in the life of an NBA player and how hard you have to work to get where you want to go in life.
Darren R. (first season with the team)
Q: How does it feel to be named the Ultimate Team?
A: It makes me proud to be recognized for all the hard work our team has put in this season.
Q: What makes a good teammate?
A: A good teammate is someone that can lead, help others, and support his team while on and off the court.
Q: How will this award motivate you?
A: Receiving this award motivates me to want to improve even more as a player and a teammate.
Q: What was your favorite part about meeting the Knicks players?
A: Getting to ask questions and learning about their experience in the NBA.