Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, August 8, 1994 TAG: 9408090036
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By TODD JACKSON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
He was getting ready for the 3-point-shot finals Sunday afternoon during the first "King of the Blacktop" tournament at Melrose Park.
The practice paid off. Divers won the competition, making four shots in 30 seconds.
"I was lookin' forward to this," he said before going to get his trophy. "The tournament gives you and your mind something to do."
Kids such as Divers are one of the main reasons that the Loudon-Melrose Neighborhood Organization and NTO World Communications worked together to make the tournament a reality.
The two-day event that began Saturday also included a dunk contest and a three-on-three competition. Close to 100 competed in two age-group classifications - 6 to 13, and 14 and older.
Five area banks and other local merchants provided financial backing for the event. Total Action Against Poverty provided technical assistance along with the partners in NTO, an entrepreneurial venture started by several Roanoke men. NTO is shopping an original screenplay to major movie studios and the company has its own recording label, Venture Records.
Outnumbering the participants Sunday were the people sitting in bleachers on the courts and lining the fence around the park. Music thumped out of two large speakers.
NTO's Rob Webb, a Roanoke-area disc jockey, served as master of ceremonies. Before Sunday's final rounds of competition began, Webb grabbed his microphone and said: "This is a community-oriented event. We don't need any foul language. Remember to keep it down."
It was a message understood. Just ask the Rev. Greg Jackson, pastor at the Seventh-day Adventist Church on Melrose Avenue.
Bringing the Melrose-Loudon neighborhoods together through a positive public gathering was his goal. Jackson led the neighborhood organization toward the idea of community events.
"A lot of times we sit around and complain about crime and the problems with young people today," he said, "but we don't do anything about it. Well, [the tournament] gives them something to do. Then we can start to deal with minds."
Melrose Park has become known over the years for drug activity. That's changing dramatically, say Jackson and others involved with the basketball tournament.
"There was no presence here," Jackson said. "Now there's a presence. If Melrose Park is left vacant, then [drug pushers] will come back and take over. The tournament is only one phase of our total effort. We want to keep this going."
That'll be fine with Stacey Ollie, 42, who won the 3-point competition in the 14-and-over division. He's lived in the Melrose Avenue area most of his life.
"I'd like to see a lot more of this," he said. "It's all about fellowship. Plus, I had to shoot good today because my daughter was here to watch me."
by CNB