EBC Announces 1st Annual Norman Ostrin HS Invitational
Famed Rucker Park will feature many of the top prep players in their band new league.
Every summer on the corner of 155th St. and 8th in Harlem you can find many of the top streetballers from around the world showcasing their blacktop skills under the bright lights of Rucker Park. From NBA superstars to the top high school prospects in America, this has always been the place to make a name for yourself. The Entertainer’s Basketball Classic has been the prototype for summer basketball leagues for quite some time now. Last summer, EBC’s CEO Greg Marius gave SLAM an interesting in-depth look into his brand. Beginning tomorrow the Entertainer’s Basketball Classic will continue to broaden their tradition as they welcome a new tournament into their rich history. This summer the world-famed Rucker Park will now also feature the top AAU/Grassroots teams from the Northeast in the 1st Annual Norman Ostrin High School Invitational. From the looks of it, this tournament could be a must-visit for anyone who enjoys watching 
summer leagues at any level. Can wait to see how this joint turns out!- Franklyn Calle
From our friends at EBC:
The Entertainer’s Basketball Classic (EBC) announces the launch of their first annual Norman Ostrin High School Invitational tournament, a Tri-State basketball competition between invited elite High School-aged traveling teams from across New York City’s five boroughs, Westchester, Connecticut and New Jersey. These elite High School-aged traveling teams will play against each other for the bragging rights that they are the best in their area and the opportunity to represent their Borough/Area in the 2010 Entertainer’s Basketball Classic this summer.
The Norman Ostrin Invitational will begin Friday, June 4th at 5:30pm. Unlike most High School tournaments, all games will be played outside and most will be played under the lights. If you have an elite High School-aged Team and are interested in entering them into the selection process please call 646.328.2528 or email the EBC at info@ebchighschool.com.
“We want only the best High School-aged traveling teams to play in the Entertainer’s Basketball Classic,” said Greg Marius, CEO and creator of the EBC. “We created this High School Invitational where the top 8 teams from Brooklyn would play each other to see who was the best in Brooklyn. Then that team would represent Brooklyn this summer in the Entertainer’s Basketball Classic. The same will be true for each of the Tri-State areas.”
The Norman Ostrin Invitational will be played at New York’s famed Rucker Park, the mecca of street basketball, where many an NBA Player played while they were still in High School including Rafer Alston, Sebastian Telfair, OJ Mayo, Michael Beasley, Jerryd Bayless, Kevin Love, Brandon Jennings, Tyreke Evans, Jrue Holiday and NBA-bound Lance Stephenson, Derrick Favors and John Wall.
2010 sponsors for the Norman Ostrin High School Invitational include African American College Alliance, Quiznos of Harlem, and FUBU.
About Norman Ostrin:
2005 Brooklyn Basketball Man of the Year, Norman Ostrin, first developed a love for the game growing up in Coney Island before becoming co-captain of his High School’s basketball team. After a career spanning 43 years in the garment industry, Ostrin devoted himself to the advancement of student athletes by serving as an advisor and mentor to countless teenagers to help improve their lives and better their prospects for the future. Prior to his death in 2009, Ostrin touched the lives of notable sportsmen including Joakim Noah (Chicago Bulls), Royal Ivey (Milwaukee Bucks), Chris Taft (Golden State Warriors), Sebastian Telfair (Cleveland Cavaliers), Julius Hodge (Denver Nuggets) and Gavin Grant (North Carolina State), among many others.
About the EBC:
The Entertainer’s Basketball Classic was founded by Greg Marius in 1980 in Harlem, NY and is one of the most recognizable Streetball tournaments in the world. The EBC Tournament features a Men’s and Women’s division, as well as AAU Youth divisions. The Men’s division is one of only a few tournaments in New York to be sanctioned by the NBA and the NCAA. The EBC has played host to a lineup of A-list celebrities, athletes and politicians, including former President Bill Clinton, NBA Commissioner David Stern, Denzel Washington, Jay-Z, and Mary J. Blige, among others. The world-renowned Rucker Park has also been the starting point for numerous NBA athletes, including New Jersey Nets’ Rafer Alston, and many other current players have gotten in on the action, with Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Allen Iverson, Al Harrington, Ray Allen, Ron Artest, Brandon Jennings, and more making appearances.
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