More than 600 basketball fans witnessed the first-ever sporting event held in The Yard on Alcatraz, where Isaiah "Clutch" Bowman was crowned King of the Rock.
Last night history was made as Red Bull King of the Rock, a one-on-one basketball tournament, was held in The Yard on Alcatraz. The event marked the first official sporting event ever held on Alcatraz, and the first time basketball has been played there since the inmates left the island over 50 years ago.
After several hours of intense game play on one of the most iconic locations on earth, Los Angeles’ Isaiah “Clutch” Bowman lived up to his nickname and beat Phoenix’s Gary Smith with a clutch shot breaking the six-six tie with two seconds remaining on the clock to claim the crown as Red Bull King of the Rock.
This tournament had the types of games I live for. One-on-one. Do or die.
It was an unusually boisterous night in The Yard on Alcatraz as more than 600 people crowded behind the infamous prison walls to watch one of the most unique one-on-one competitions ever. Sixty-four players from across the West Coast went head-to-head to test their skills – as well as their endurance. The competitors soon learned they had to play not only against each other, but also against the island itself. Players had to adjust their game to account for the cracked and uneven ground, heavy fog, chilly weather and blustery wind.
With four courts hosting simultaneous games, each had a unique story to tell for the guests in the stands. Court 1 hosted David Moseley, a qualifier from Oakland who went to the Final Four with Stanford University in 1998. Mosley showed he still has the skills and made it to the elite eight, but finally was ousted in a close game by eventual runner-up Gary Smith.
Court 2 started off with a heart-warming moment when it was announced that San Francisco’s Lawrence Coburn became a new father to a baby girl just days before. But Kris Smith, who qualified in Oakland, beat Coburn in the first round and continued on all the way to the final four, eventually being eliminated by Gary Smith. On Court 3, Red Bull King of the Rock winner Isaiah “Clutch” Bowman held the spotlight for the majority of the games. Court 4 saw an intense game that went into triple overtime in the sweet sixteen round between Google employee Aaron Weissman, dubbed by announcers as “the white Rondo,” and Nwaluze Umeh, who qualified in the second place position at the Oakland stop.
Carlo Cruz/Red Bull Photofiles
While the players were blessed with no rainstorms, the notorious Bay Area fog loomed eerily in The Yard and made the concrete courts slippery and the basketballs dewy, adding more challenges to an already difficult physical and mental game. When a referee had to dry off a game ball, announcer Bobbito Garcia joked that he has never seen a referee also act as a ball boy. Just before the semi-finals, select players participated in a slam dunk contest that earned top honors for San Francisco’s Sante Gayle
The finals were an intense and physical showdown between the heavily favored Gary Smith and Isaiah Bowman. Both worn down physically, the two pushed themselves to the limit, fighting against the rising wind. As the clock ran down, Bowman was able to find the hoop with only two seconds left on the clock. “My emotions were going wild,” said Isaiah Bowman. “This tournament had the types of games I live for. One-on-one. Do or die. I just feel honored to be here and to have had the chance to compete. Basketball on Alcatraz – Amazing!”
Basketball superstar Rajon Rondo was highly impressed with the talent on display and found that Alcatraz was “pretty much one of the coolest and most unique places you could possibly play basketball.”
Sixty-four players earned their spot on the rock through six qualifiers held in Los Angeles (July 17), San Diego (July 24), Phoenix (July 31), Seattle (August 7), San Francisco (August 28) and Oakland (September 11). Red Bull King of the Rock players included:
Los Angeles
1. Christian Yeung
2. Isaiah Clutch Bowman
3. Nick Gaillard
4. Garrett Pickens
5. Jamar Cramer
6. Hershel Presley
7. Albert Jones
8. Phlip Gaillard
San Diego
1. Josh Snow
2. Dontae Burnett
3. Ervin "Boogie" Estes
4. David Reeder
5. Cooper Wadell
6. Jason Steffen
7. Brandon Mitchell
8. James Josepheson
Phoenix
1. Gary Smith
2. Adam Cook
3. Dean Walker Jr.
4. Mark Barksdale
5. Leon Azuogu
6. Michael Purdie
7. Joseph George
Seattle
1. Deric Gruen
2. James Thorn
3. DeShaun Prince
4. Mike Grio
5. James Groth
6. Jordan Knight
San Francisco
1. Aaron Weissman
2. Nathan Schuett
3. Sam Newman
4. Lawrence Coburn
5. Wayne Oliver
6. Robby Allen
7. Will Carrico
8. Ricky Irizarry
9. Sean Rougean
10. Nathan Skon
11. Sante Gayle
12. Robert L. Cuenca Jr.
13. Gary “Child” Walker
14. Kenny Evans
15. Sammy Allen
16. Adrian Medina
Oakland
1. Nwaluze Umeh
2. Therin Taylor
3. David Mosely
4. Aaron Garrette
5. John Hunt
6. Aaron Tatum
7. Kris Smith
8. Craig McArthur
9. Jerald Pruitt
10. Tye Phillips
11. William Prior
12. Ben Shulte
13. TJ Mann
14. Jamal Davis
15. Gil Llewellyn
16. Ronnie Lau
17. Dave Vick
18. Henry Davis
19. Warren Robinson
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