First-Ever Juno Hoops Celebrity Basketball Game is a Slam Dunk!

Juno Week officially kicked off on Monday, March 21st with the first-ever Juno Hoops Celebrity Basketball game, which was put together by a team led by DJ Jude Kelly. The event was held at Ryerson University's Kerr Hall Gymnasium.

Players included R&B Singers Ray Robinson and Aion Clarke (aka Voice Alexander); Producer and DJ Skratch Bastid; DJ Future the Prince (Drake's Official Tour DJ); Spoken Word Artist, Dwayne Morgan; DJ DOC (Host of CHRY 105.5FM's "Island Explosion" show on Thursday mornings); Radio Personality, Devo Brown formerly of Flow 93.5FM and former professional Basketball Player and Urban Music Association of Canada (UMAC) President, Will Strickland.

Mark Strong, the voice of the Toronto Raptors home games, was the event MC and eTalk's Tanya Kim and Jazz Artist, Archie Alleyne served as honourable Coaches. Olympic double gold medallist Sprinter Donovan Bailey also attended the game but sat on the sidelines, while Recording Artist, Glenn Lewis, was also there, but unable to play as he was nursing a foot injury. Proceeds of the event will support MusiCounts, a Canadian music charity that helps to keep music alive in schools across Canada.

Juno Hoops Celebrity Basketball Game @ Kerr Hall Gymnasium, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON - Mon Mar 21st!

Juno Hoops
Presented by The Globe and Mail Newspaper
Sponsored by Clothe Your City

When: 7 pm, Monday, March 21, 2011.
Venue: Kerr Hall Gymnasium, Ryerson University, 31 Gerrard St. West, Toronto, ON

What: First-ever celebrity basketball game in support of MusiCounts – Canada ’s national music education charity associated with CARAS. Featuring three-time World champion and Olympic double gold medalist sprinter, Donovan Bailey; Max Kerman, lead singer of The Arkells; J.E. Skeets & Tas Melas, co-hosts of The Basketball Jones Show on The Score; DJ Future the Prince (Drake’s official tour DJ); and Skratch Bastid, first-ever DJ to be nominated for a Juno Award (Producer of the Year, 2008).

Tanya Kim, etalk Anchor, is one of two honourary guest coaches for Juno Hoops, and she’ll be paired with either Roy Rana or Charles Kissi, head coaches of the Ryerson Rams men’s and women’s varsity basketball teams.

Other celebrities on board include Toronto Raptors game-day host and hype man, Mark Strong, and renowned urban music producer/promoter Kid Kut. DJ Garrick Estwick (Roots Canada) will provide the game-day beats throughout the event.

Other participants: R&B star Ray Robinson; former professional player and UMAC president, Will Strickland; 2007 Juno Reggae Award nominee, Trinity Chris; award-winning spoken word poet, Dwayne Morgan; DJ D.O.C.; media personality Devo Brown; Michael Grange, and mas band leader Dwayne Pitt.

Twenty players on two teams will compete for the inaugural Juno Hoops Trophy, with an MVP award given out to one player on each team. More participants will be announced prior to tipoff.

Right after the game, a special exhibition contest between two of Ontario’s top midget boy’s teams takes place between Toronto Triple Threat and the Mississauga Monarchs.

Purchase Details: Tickets available at the door. $5 or pay what you can. Proceeds benefit MusiCounts.

For info on the Juno Awards and upcoming events visit:
http://junoawards.ca/40th-anniversary-events/juno-week-events/