Quai 54 is without doubt the biggest international streetball tournament there is, taking place on the same weekend every June. We Are HQ was courtside to bring you all the action.
Run by Hamadoun Sidebe and sponsored by Jordan Brand, the competition is held in Paris draws in the best basketball teams from Italy, Japan, England, America, Spain and of course France, to compete under the hot summer sun and in front of an intense and highly energetic crowd. You would be wrong for thinking that with the regular season of basketball over, summer tournaments give seasoned players the chance to relax and incorporate more street flair into their game.
However, for the players at Quai 54, the regular season rules apply and with immediate knockout if you lose your first game, it really is a case of go hard or go home!
Having attended the event last year, I knew a little of what to expect however, I was not prepared for the new court this year which was truly amazing. Quai 54 usually takes place on the gritty asphalt court of the States de Carpentier, but this year the teams played at a custom made court at the Palais de Tokyo. With the Eiffel Tower in the background, it was the most impressive streetball court I’ve ever seen.
I love the intensity of basketball in itself, but a competition such as Quai incorporates what I love about the game: intensity, skill, hustle and finesse; all of this can be found at Quai 54 and more. The competition’s motto is “Bring Your Game Not Your Name” which is a constant reminder to what the competition’s main focus is – a showcase of some of the best basketball talent worldwide.
The relationship between basketball and hip hop is synonymous, and the legendary MC Lyte graced us with a performance on Saturday.
Representing the UK for the past 8 years in this competition, was Midnight Madness led by Nhamo Shire and Junior Williams. This year’s team was made up of some of London’s let alone the UK’s leading basketball talent. With Washington Huskies senior Matthew Bryan-Amaning and his fellow U-23 Great Britain team members Ogo Adeboyo and Justin Robinson alongside Marcus Knight, Carl Josey, Perry Lawson, Orlan Jackman, David Ajomobi, Ali Fullah and Michael Ocherobia, it was the most impressive team to date.
Dubbed the “new generation” by Nhamo, the team started off well with the guards pushing the French team Next Level’s defence. However, two overtimes later and a few bad calls by referees, the Midnight Madness team ended up loosing by 2. This was the first time ever they had exited in the first round however, as always there is next year and I’m more than hopeful with the new direction of the team.
The entertainment throughout the weekend is something you have to witness personally, as it a huge part of the Quai 54 experience. However, it’s the final day entertainment that really get the crowd going.
Last year I was court side when they brought out Ludacris and Usher to hype the crowd and this year was more of the same, as Fat Joe was on hand to pump the crowd before the final.
As the sun went down in Paris, the final teams took to the court to battle it out and for the third year in a row, La Fusion had made it to the final and this year they faced American team Dirty South.
La Fusion however, were too experienced for the American team as they strode to an impressive 25 point win.
With Midnight Madness around the corner, Quai 54 was the perfect opener to a long summer of basketball. Much thanks to Gentry Humphrey and the entire Jordan Brand family for their hospitality over the weekend.
For a full game analysis of the Midnight Madness performance click here
Images by Lemara Lindsay-Prince.
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