Competitive basketball is being played in Harlem and airing on the Clash TV app every Sunday as the the Clash Pro League (CPL), featuring top streetballers from not just the New York City area but nationally and internationally, is gaining a large following.
CPL was created by Chris “Gotti” Lorenzo, co-founder of live streaming platform Clash TV. Gotti gained fame as a hit-making music producer for artists Ja Rule and Jennifer Lopez, and collaborating on projects with some of the industry’s most influential figures, such as Jay-Z and Kanye West.
Games can be viewed in person at the Police Athletic League (PAL) Harlem Center (441 Manhattan Avenue), on clsh.tv, or on YouTube, where they are live-streamed. Rosters, league standings, statistics, and upcoming matchups can all be found on clsh.tv.
Gotti, a passionate lifelong fan of streetball, is pleased with the early results of the CPL.
“The first half of the CPL season has been everything I expected and more,” Lorenzo said of the first four weeks of the league’s inaugural season. “The games have all been exceptional. The coaches and the players have all been so good on every level. With the trade deadline approaching, more players are joining teams that were previously playing overseas, which only elevates the league to a higher level. With that said, all I can think about is an incredible playoffs and championship with these amazing players, coaches and teams.”
The City Slammers remain undefeated at 4-0, while the Concrete Ballers and Blacktop Beasts are looking for their first win of the season in the eight-team league.
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New York City basketball fans might recognize Antoine Mason, son of the late former New York Knicks star Anthony Mason. The younger Mason plays for the Hollywood Hoopers and is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 21.8 points per game.
“Just growing up, watching the Knicks games and then traveling and seeing the rest of (my father’s) career — he’s the reason why I play,” Mason said. “He has inspired me so much since birth. We both are dogs, physical; we accept any challenge and we like to get after it on defense. You hit us, you’re going to get hurt. I get a lot from (my dad).”