Community News

Sixers help tip-off the 2008-09 La Liga Del Barrio league at Thomas Edison High School

Click to view the photogallery.

First-year 76ers guard Royal Ivey and Sixers Ambassador of Basketball World B. Free helped run a basketball clinic to tip-off the 2008-09 La Liga Del Barrio league at Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia on yesterday afternoon.

"It was beautiful coming out here today. I thought we had a great reception, the crowd was into it and all of the drills went well," Free said. "We’d like to compliment Royal Ivey for coming out and giving up his time for the community and they will love him back for it."

Free and Ivey spoke to community members about life and how basketball helped them obtain their career goals. Hip-Hop, the Hare-Raisers and members of the Sixers Dance Team joined the duo to help get the crowd excited during the annual tip-off event.

“We’ve been doing this the last eight years and it’s been great because we are able to provide for those with not many recreational outlets. We gave tickets, hats and backpacks out tonight for the winners of the competitions. But really they’re all winners,” Free said. “We just try to make it competitive so everyone will have fun.”

Free served as vocal leader during the clinic and Ivey stepped in as coach helping the boys and girls run through drills.

Over the last eight years La Liga Del Barrio has given Philadelphia’s Latino youth an organized basketball league for boys and girls ages 6 to 17. La Liga has grown to 28 teams with 12 players per team. The kids were able to showcase their talents throughout the course of the night, while Free and Ivey offered basketball pointers and encouraged them to continue to strive for success.

“It was great coming out here tonight to give back to the community and do our best to bring smiles to the kids faces. Running a clinic for these kids was one of the nicest ways to give back and I’m happy I was able to be a part of this,” Ivey said.