In a ‘game-changing’ move from London’s hottest basketball league, the CBL announce today that the 2020 mens division playoff champions will win an all-expenses paid trip to Paris and a qualifying spot in the biggest streetball tournament on the planet, Le Quai 54!
Quai 54 is also known as The World Streetball Championship and is supported by Jordan Brand and Nike, who work together to provide a breath-taking show-stopper each summer in an electric atmosphere that celebrates the best in community, fashion, hip-hop and true streetball culture that has to be experienced to be truly understood. It’s simply phenomenal.
The UK has long been represented by the Midnight Madness All-Star teams who have competed well in the competition, but have yet to win the whole thing, such is the high-level of talent on show each year. Midnight Madness regularly feature the very best British players in their squads, with an alumni roster that reads like a ‘who’s who’ of British elite basketball. Ovie Soko, Ashley Hamilton, Justin Robinson, Dan Clark, Myles Hesson, Matthew Bryan-Amaning, Darius Defoe, Tayo Ogendengbe, Ogo Adegboye, Jamell Anderson, Jules Dang-Akodo, Ed Lucas, Conner Washington, Jesse Chukwu, Sam Toluwase and Orlan Jackman are only a small selection of the GB greats who have represented for MM in the marquee showpiece in former years. Midnight Madness will continue to send a marquee team to compete in the tournament, with the opportunity now open for the CBL champions to join them, potentially with 2 representative teams competition for the illustrious prize in July 2020.
To be able to compete in the qualification tournament for Quai 54, in Paris, which offers 4 tournament berths directly into the 16 team international extravaganza, from the CBL is a huge opportunity for the men’s team winners, which is sure to send shockwaves throughout the city as players begin to realise exactly what is at stake for the CBL playoff champions.
The move comes at a time where the league is experiencing unprecedented growth in both demand, platform and new opportunities and League Commissioner, Nhamo Shire, is keen to align growth with exciting opportunities for the players and coaches across the city: “I’ve always been close with my brothers from Paris (tournament founders) Hammadoun and Thibaut and always make sure we represent with an elite level Midnight Madness team in the tournament each summer. However, I’m always looking at ways in which we can excite and inspire the wider community, right here in our home city of London and so when the opportunity came up to be able link our London CBL Champions into an opportunity to compete in the Quai54 - we had to make it happen. Both Hammadoun and Thibaut are big believers in our community roots and the power of basketball to support and elevate those roots, which we've always been so closely connected on over the years, so extending the pathway through to the heart of the London community was a natural fit for us. For the players, the Quai 54 will be unlike anything the eventual winners will have experienced before and my hope is it will inspire them to bring that amazing energy back into the CBL next season as we continue to elevate the game and challenge players to be the best they can be. It won't be easy, as they will have to battle their way through the qualification round on the Friday, as one of our MM Futures teams successfully did a few years back - but it's certainly possible they could be playing on the big stage in front of 10,000 crazy fans and world class entertainment come Saturday and Sunday. It puts the 'BIG' in 'BIG TIME'. I'm excited for them and look forward to seeing how this all rolls out".
For players not currently playing the the CBL, there is still an opportunity to join a team before the deadline, which you can do by filling in this form: https://www.london-basketball.com/cbl-player-sign-up/
For more information on the Quai 54 tournament, check the following links:
OFFICAL QUAI 54 WEBSITE
OFFICIAL QUAI54 INSTAGRAM
