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40 Players to Represent 6 Cities at Worcester’s Summer Jam 2019

By Patrick Sargent | August 13, 2019
Last Updated: August 10, 2021

WORCESTER – On Saturday, August 24, eight teams from six different cities across three states will meet at Grant Square park in Worcester to compete in the 4th Annual Summer Jam — with $1,000 on the line.

The eight teams playing in Summer Jam 2019 are from Worcester, Boston, Springfield, Holyoke, New York and Burlington, VT. 

The 5-on-5 tournament will feature 40 players including semi-professionals and talented collegiate-level players. 

“I call it a Pro-Am,” said Summer Jam Classic founder Anthony Barbosa in an interview on Aug. 9. “Worcester doesn’t have a city-wide basketball tournament and I wanted to create a basketball tournament with a culture and environment that formed a basketball community within the city.”

The tournament runs from 10 AM to 7 PM at the basketball courts at Grand Square and will also feature music from three DJs — DJ Kool Kris, DJ Kid Kash, and DJ Mark the Don — and food from Dot’s Homestyle Cooking. Hot dogs and burgers will also be available. 

“We do bring in a lot of players from outside of Worcester and the competition is really good. Two years ago was the biggest community event in the city. We had more than 600 people in attendance,” Barbosa said. 

August 13, 2019 Anthony Barbosa
Paul Maurice at the 2018 Summer Jam Classic

This year, Barbosa and other Summer Jam volunteers will be handing out free school supplies and backpacks to kids and parents that are in attendance. The school supplies were made possible from an event Barbosa held at Bull Mansion on Aug. 9 called the Summer Jam Classic Warmup. The event was a ‘90s and 2000s- themed party that encouraged those in attendance to make donations of $10 or more.

August 13, 2019 Anthony Barbosa
Worcester Jam Classics

“It’s a family fun environment of basketball all day with entertainment. It’s diverse with music and basketball. It’s by the city for the city. It’s grassroots. It’s people living every day in the community who are running this event,” Barbosa said. “Its local people trying to make a change in the community. Without them, there’s no Summer Jam Classic.”

Mayor Joe Petty, City Councilor At-Large Khrystian King, District 1 City Councilor Sean Rose and Community Leader Ike McBride are all expected to be in attendance. 

Summer Jam 2019 is sponsored by American Pyramids, YMCA of Central Massachusetts, MAYD in America, Compass, and The Dugout Barber Shop.

 

ThisWeekinWorcester.com is the proud media sponsor of Summer Jam 2019.

Lead photo: L to R: Anthony Barbosa, Tyrae Sims. and Markese Berry from Summer Jam 2018

 

August 13, 2019 Anthony Barbosa

 

August 13, 2019 Anthony Barbosa

August 13, 2019 Anthony Barbosa

 

August 13, 2019 Anthony Barbosa

 

August 13, 2019 Anthony Barbosa

 


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