CT's High School Basketball Blog

Friday, December 3, 2010

Little Tikes Little Champs Sports Center

Kick a field goal, hit a homerun and shoot a three-point basket! With the Little Champs Sports Center, even the littlest sports fans can have fun playing football, baseball and basketball. This colorful, electronic unit plays five sports songs and five exciting sports-themed sound effects. It features an interactive backboard that keeps track of baskets made, plus a football-shaped bead spinner for putting the ball through the goalposts. Includes two basketballs and one soft oversized bat. Handy carrying handle lets you take it just about anywhere. Requires 3 "AA" batteries (included). Measures approximately 31.5" x 13.25" x 22.25". Some assembly required. Colors may vary.

Price: $29.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Nerf Sport Nerfoop Basketball Slam

This junior outdoor basketball is endorsed by the NBA, so you know it has to be good--it's even signed by NBA Commissioner David Stern. We found it to have superlative grip and just the right amount of bounce for outdoor action. This premium Spalding ball has a durable rubber cover that is designed to last through all the dribbling, lay-ups, and slam dunks you can dish out. The size 6 (28.5 inches) basketball is ideal for players ages 9 to 12. --M. Sullivan

About Spalding

As a Division of Russell Corporation, the Spalding Group consists of three business units: Spalding in Springfield, MA; American Athletic, Inc. (AAI) in Jefferson, IA; and Huffy Sports, in Sussex, WI. The three companies, collectively combined, are now the largest basketball equipment supplier in the world. Spalding is the official basketball supplier of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the official backboard of the NBA and NCAA, the official volleyball of the King of the Beach Volleyball Tour and the official football of the Arena Football League (AFL) and Pop Warner.

Price: $19.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Soffe Juniors' Authentic Short

Soffe Junior Authentic Short oz. / poly/cotton jersey. V-notched legs with inseam. -/ exposed elastic waistband. Junior Sizes XS - XL - Softball Shorts

Price: $7.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Little Tikes TotSports T-Ball Set

A Little Tikes toy is always a great investment. However, if your child aspires to become the next Alex Rodriguez or Ryan Howard, then the T Ball Set is the perfect choice. The T Ball Set from Little Tikes is a great introduction to America's Pastime and will also help improve basic batting skills along with motor skills and coordination. The Little Tikes toy is kid friendly with plastic balls and bats. T Ball is a fun intro to baseball, so provide him with his own tee and ball. The T Ball

Price: $19.99

Click here to buy from Amazon

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Phoenix Suns: Official Yearbook [VHS]

It's showtime! Come Fly with Me packs in 50 minutes of breathtaking basketball highlights of the man considered the greatest basketball player of all time: Michael Jordan. Produced in 1989, before Jordan's first championship with the Chicago Bulls, Come Fly covers Michael's middle-class childhood in North Carolina, his rise in the NCAA ranks with the University of North Carolina, and the first few professional seasons with the Bulls. But if it's athletic wonders you seek as opposed to lots of factual details, you'll be well satisfied. This video clearly was designed to celebrate, not necessarily sketch out, the man and his history.

Early footage of Michael will delight longtime Bulls fans. Included are interviews with family members, school mentors (we meet the coach who made the now-famous cut of Michael from his high-school junior varsity team), and 1980s Bulls coach Doug Collins (complete with frizzy 'fro), and plenty of slam dunks, athletic ballet, and "Wanna Be Like Mike" charisma. Missing is mention of fellow University of North Carolina teammates James Worthy and Sam Perkins, as well as a decent hip-hop soundtrack (the music is early sports documentary cheezola), but these are small flaws compared to the man's jaw-dropping aerobics. Footage of the slam-dunk contest alone--where Jordan captured his own goal of taking off at the free-throw line and dunking at the hoop (complete with legs bent back in Air flight)--will leave viewers grinning and shaking their heads. His energy is endless, his creativity self-renewing, and his athleticism graceful and magical. This video is a fun peek into the youthful Michael now so far behind us. --Karen Karleski

Price: $19.98

Click here to buy from Amazon