By Joseph Staszewski
Haron Hargrave nearly gave up on the project he has poured so much of himself into.
The former Campus Magnet hoops star, nicknamed H2O on the New York City streetball circuit, began a basketball and music showcase event back in 2007 aimed at promoting nonviolence. The shootings of hip-hop artist Stacks Bundles and Sean Bell and the killing of good friend Mark Arrington in Hollis pushed him to give back in a positive way. Over time, it expanded from Queens Day to Queens Week, but this year its run nearly ended.
A poor team turnout for the event’s signature double-elimination men’s basketball tournament left Hargrave second-guessing whether to put the event on again. He thought he didn’t promote it as well as he had in the past and said six teams that left deposits canceled the day before the event. Many of them had played in Queens Week before.
“It was kind of a slap in the face for them not to be in the event,” Hargrave said. “It made me really think about the whole thing, if I should continue it. It made me think twice about doing it.”
His original motivation to fight against negativity returned. Hargrave wasn’t going to let a little adversity stop him.
“I looked at myself and said, ‘Why would I let disappointment like that deter me from doing what I love?’” he said.
Queens Week returns to Roy Wilkins Park this weekend. Hargrave, who played his college ball at Sacramento State University before beginning a career overseas, had to tweak things. He lowered the team entry fee to $375 and the winner’s prize to $4,000 and it has helped re-energize the tournament. He expects 12 or more eight-player teams to compete. Many of the players taking part are regulars on the Nike streetball tournament, raising the level of play.
“I feel like it’s one of the most competitive tournaments out there,” Hargrave said. “People really take pride in winning Queens Week.”
That’s just the main event of the two days. There will be numerous up-and-coming musicians performing. Sunday, along with the men’s tournament final, will also feature a high school and youth boys’ all-star game and a women’s tournament to help showcase the talent in the Beautiful Ballers league, which has a franchise in Brooklyn.
The once-dejected Hargrave is again excited about the event, which has sponsors like the New York Knicks and Powerade, that is a celebration of music and basketball as a positive outlet for people’s talents. He is hoping to see it only continue to grow from here.
“It’s about building and getting everybody to come on,” Hargrave said. “I’m building to have people showcase their abilities. I feel like it’s just a platform for people to get looked at and get seen.”
