Search - Entertainer's Basketball Classic at Rucker Park - The Second Season (Includes Bonus CD Soundtrack Sampler) on DVD

The Real AND1

Chon-ny | 05/07/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"With AND1 hysteria sweeping the nation, it's tough to play a game at the rec and not have a "Hot Sauce" wannabe want to pull a move on someone. Most of these guys find out it's not so easy to pull of the move with someone actually playing hard D on you.
Enter EBC 2, a collection of footage from the recent Entertainer's Basketball Classic, the tournament of tournaments for most ballers. The level of skill is remarkably higher than that displayed in the AND1 tapes, where they played locals with little or no motivation to stop their opponents. So when The Bone Collector or A Whole Lotta Game pulls a so-called "AND1" move--slicing through the lane with a windmill lefty layup or shaking a defenders outstretched hand before shooting--it's all the more spectacular. Not only is the skill level through the roof, with NBA players lke Stephon Marbury, Jermaine O'Neal, Shawn Marion, Baron Davis, Derek Anderson, Jason Richardson, Cedric Henderson, Kenny Satterfield and Kobe Bryant making appearances, winning the championship is actually a goal.
Notice the emphasis on tough threes, get-em-out blocks, and disgusting hangtime oops; these are skilled players pulling off hotdog moves either because they have to or because they've got the balls to. You aren't humiliating chumps, you're trying to dunk or dribble through Ron Artest, Jamaal Tinsley and a host of streetball legends.
The conversational cuts in between the highlights could be done away with; it seems like the tournament directors and regulars are forcing face time. The music is a definite plus, intercut perfectly with the crowd's oohs and aahs. The DVD also plays the championship game in near-entirety, a definite plus if you don't think you can make it to the Rucker to watch the EBC live in your lifetime. There's also a easy to navigate section of the best dunks and moves of the tournament.
Which brings up the sad fact that championships can be bought, and that like the AND1 series, going mainstream will only water down streetball. Fat Joe's Terror Squad disgustingly buys the championship by putting together a roster composed largely of NBA players and ghetto superstars from other teams to convincingly take "the Chip."
It's a must have for the basketball fan though. It's your last chance to see streetball moves busted out in a rough-and-tough environment, where nothing comes for free. It's AND1 in a real tournament...go out and get it before the other guy does."

Real from the Streets

scottsmusiclaw | 03/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Kobe, Steph Marbury, Bone Collector, Escalade, Ron Artest and Shawn Marion!!!!!!! Don't forget Fat Joe!!!! Something real from the streets. These cats have moves!!!! Both streetball and NBA players. This DVD was in FootLocker earlier. You can tell by looking at it that these Ballaz ain't making this up!!! Bone Collector and Jamal Tinsley go head-to-head and no one is letting the other one Punk him. I have seen a lot of other "StreetBall" tapes and you can tell cats are acting (And1 is known for faking it, how are you gonna let someone on a cellphone score on you?) This DVD had a lot of NBA players who represent!!!!!! Kobe Bryant came down and did the damn thing!!!!! He was ballin' like he grew up in Rucker Park. Cop this DVD!!! One."