Third World Hoops

This weekend I participated in a 3-on-3 basketball tournament run by Big Bangs and a 5-on-5 tournament run by the Aftershocks Basketball Club. I missed the beginning of the Aftershocks tournament, but was able to play from the quarterfinals onward. Many of the same players participated in both tournaments, as there is a very small basketball community here. There are few concrete courts that can be played on, and even those don't measure up to US blacktops. The Big Bangs organization, which is a collection of ex-patriot and young local players that spread basketball through charity, dominated both tournaments. We formed two teams out of the 17-20 players who regularly participate in Big Bangs events. These two teams advanced to the finals of the 5-5 tournament and our three 3-on-3 teams all made the semis.

It was a lot of fun to play at a relatively high level and most of the people who were on the court in the final game had a decent amount of experience. In the end my team won by 5. We were a bit out gunned but had the equalizing "biggest guy on the court," a 6'7'' Egyptian named Tareq, and held on for the W. I ended up with Co-MVP for that tournament before getting ousted in the Semifinals of the 3 on 3 tournament by Tareq's team. It's pretty hard to effectively double team if you don't have anyone over 6'2'' and there are only 3 defenders on the court.

Most of the players who came out were in high school or university, and are still learning the game. All the rules have been memorized, but the subtleties that come from years of playing are not yet mastered. This is especially true when it comes to shooting. Like many inner-city US courts, most of the rims around here a bit suspect, and so most people just try to get to the basket. Shooting is something I worked hard on in high school and college, and many of the people I play with have asked for tips. Although it is a relatively simple motion, shooting, like any skill, requires thousands of repetitions to become natural. When people ask how I practice, and how long I've been practicing, my answer often baffles them. 8 years?! I've only been playing for 3 years! Basketball is an American game in that it is a part of our culture. From a young age most people are exposed to the sport and teeming youth leagues and summer camps attest to the sport's popularity with children. Here, few people pick up a basketball until middle or high school at the earliest. There is a dearth of even mediocre coaches, and skills are picked up rather than learned. Jump shots often have top-spin. If you know about basketball, that fact will disturb you to your very core.

When I play with and against these newcomers, I try to impart as much wisdom as I can, preaching the basic fundamentals that can elude anyone who is self-taught. What's great is that I have been exposed to some kids with some real energy and love for the game. One thing that basketball has going for it is that even in Dhaka there is some space for a court, and it is a kind of status symbol as a distinctly American game. A few of the high schools and most of the major universities have some kind of program, and there seems to be some kind of national program. A ref who worked at the practice games in which the faculty got to play our boys' varsity as well as the tournament this weekend told me he is involved with something called the "First Division Team." What I could gather from his faltering English is that I may get a chance to work out with them in January when they start playing (for what, I have no idea). It would be great to get to see some of the top talent, I'm sure they are very athletic, and what kind of teaching they receive. I am eager to compare it to the way that basketball is taught in America.

Basketball has been, as it has my whole life, a great outlet for my stress and competitive impulses here, and I think it also helps me connect with some people I would not otherwise meet. I've come to believe that the way you play says a lot about the way you are, and I hope that I am leaving the Bangladeshi ballers with a good impression of myself and Americans in general.