The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

The traditional highlight of the Jeff Rodgers’ Summer Basketball camp’s “Fun Night” began with a series of highlight reel plays but ended in confusion and a chorus of boos for NBA superstar Kyrie Irving.

In the scrimmage matchup between the camp’s instructors and Irving’s select team, the Cleveland Cavaliers All-Star guard took exception to a foul, removed his jersey near mid-court and stormed off the floor as a disappointed crowd booed his exit of the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium last night.

Irving’s select team, featured his father Dred Irving, former Duke teammate Josh Hairston, Bahamian players Taige Adderley, Gamaliel Rose and Kino Burrows and was coached by Byron Scott.

The team of camp instructors featured Mitch Johnson, Kadeem Coleby, Tehran Cox, Scottie Farrington, Josh Brown, Jeffrey Henfield and others.

It was Cox who jawed back and forth with Irving for much of the game and committed the foul with just under a minute left to play and the camp instructors leading 89-88.

Despite the ending, camp director Jeff Rodgers said the success of the evening and the four weeks at the camp was not marred by the incident.

“I’m not sure what happened and it’s unfortunate that it did because the kids were really excited watching Kyrie and the guys play. It’s just not the way you wanted it to end, but these things happen,” he said. “It does not take away from the success of the night, we accomplished what we set out to do and that was to provide a venue for the campers to display their skills and show their friends and family what they have learned over the last few weeks. That was the real reason for everyone being here and I am thankful for that.”

With close to 300 campers registered this year, Rodgers said he’s excited to once again provide an avenue for the youngsters to come out and enhance their game.

“The camp was great. Camp time is a very exciting time for me. I’m happy about what we were able to do this year and what we have done for over two decades,” Rodgers said. “When you listen and hear some of the challenges that our young people are facing in our country today and to have an opportunity to bring young boys and girls together to talk about life and to stay away from crime, is a joy and a privilege. That is our ultimate goal. “We don’t just talk about the fundamentals of basketball, or the rules of basketball, but we talk about the rules of life and the spiritual side of life. We want them to know that God created the heaven and the earth and that there is a higher being that we all have to look up to.”

The camp wraps up with the awards presentation this afternoon.