Barkly Square - shoot for your life

233 Barkly St, Brunswick

3.5 Backboard slaps

Pubs, cafes, shops, gyms and bikies, what more could you want from this eclectic neighbourhood?

Pros
Two hoops in a massive tarmac area with faded lines. The court resides in a park with a BBQ and lots of playground equipment. Of course it's also right next door to the Barkly Square Shopping Centre. The Sporting Club Hotel is also a short walk around the corner for some post hoops frosty beers. Additionally the Wide Open Road Cafe is just down the street for some pre game bacon and eggs.

Cons
Unforgiving rings without nets and faded lines. You can just barely make out the free throw line. Less than 100m from the court is the spot where Melbourne's latest bikie hit occurred. The court's also next door to a builiding site which was abandoned due to site contamination issues! Mmmmm tasty!

Preferred game: 4 on 4 half court

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Pick Up Paradise - Princes Gardens, Prahran

Princes Gardens, Malvern/Commercial Rd, Prahran
4 Backboard Slaps

Pros: Chain net, full court with markings, good forgiving rings, close to Hungry Jacks. Gives the whole ghetto vibe with 15ft chain fence and the commision flats across the road. Good for pick up games as the quality of ball is usually pretty high.  good grassy knoll for viewing other pick up games, skate ramp if that's also your thing

Cons: Can get extremely busy on weekends, even at 9am when I've tried to shoot around there previously

Preferred Game: Pick-up ball

Transport: 72 & 79 tram stops are within a 2 min walk, couple of buses pop past too.  Prahran station is probably a 10 minute stroll

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The Wall - Clifton Park - Brunswick

Clifton Park, Brunswick

4 backboard slaps - The home of one of the biggest graffiti collections in Brunswick - look out for Atom Ant!

Pros - Located in Clifton Park on the Albert St side this court brings a touch of ghetto fabulous with its rather impressive wall. Has a net! and the world's oldest backboard. Not much running required here as the court is only paved to just outside the 3 point line. Oh, and there's a brand spanking new artificial turf soccer pitch in the park - if you want to play soccer that is. On the right night you can catch the Taco Truck and Beatbox Kitchen just across the road at the tennis courts.

Cons - concrete surface will be an ankle breaker, only paved to just outside the three point range.

Preferred game - Three on three before downing a burger.

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Temple Park - Brunswick

Temple Park - Brunswick

4 backboard slaps - location, location, location

Pros - It's right behind the Union Hotel - good food, good beer, good tunes. A single ring, which I'm reliably told normally has a net, on a concrete quarter court in a pretty park.  The court has markings but three pointers require stepping out on to the grass.  There is also a block of toilets in the park and a playground for the little ones. On this lovely winter day, the sun was shining, the trees were golden and we were basking in the glow from the demise of the Miami Heat.  Life was sweet.

Cons  - A tiny, ankle breaker, concrete court.  Any sustained effort will result in being sore the next day.

Recommended game - HORSE

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Venice Beach - California USA

Venice Beach - right next to Muscle Beach


4.5 backboard slaps - it would blow on a windy day


Pros - four full courts, all glass boards with nets, full markings and a variety of surfaces. Three are tarmac and the main show court has a rubber surface. A lot of serious players and talkers with a few big dunkers. They run a serious full court pick up game on the front court, so if you look like you can play, you will get a run! Lots of restaurants and bars and tacky souvenirs available!

Cons (Pros?) - It's right by the beach so it can be windy and you're going to need sunscreen. Lots of freaks around the area and after the game you can pop by the medical marijuana clinics to help with any injuries. One of the locals asked if I could hear and see dead people with my iPhone, because you know spirits like talking through TV man.

Streetball Mecca - Rucker Park Harlem

Holcombe Rucker Basketball Courts - 155th St Harlem, NY

5 backboard slaps - first court that's given me the tingles when I walked on it!

Pros - check the wiki and see who else has played on this court - pick from Kareem, Vince Carter, Dr J, and if you want to imagine playing someone a little kooky - RonRon Artest has hit the court at Rucker Park.  The court has a soft, tennis court like surface with glass backboards and proper nets at both ends.  Markings - only basketball with both the college, and NBA, three point lines.  Located near the 155th and 8th Ave subway stop it's easy to get to.  Jump on to the 3 line to 128th and you will be in fried chicken and soul food heaven!

Cons - well it's in Harlem, but Harlem's not what it used to be.  The actual area is pretty quiet, and the subway station was eerily empty and rundown.  Nobody was on the court today, but I'd imagine on the weekends and during better weather the court would be packed out and it might be impossible to get some court time - however there is a grandstand so you should be able to at least watch some quality ball.

Cheesesteaks and hoops - a match made in heaven

Capitolo Playground - Philadelphia - 9th Street, at the bottom of the Italian market - 4.5 backboard slaps.

Pros - next door to the world's home of Philadelphia cheesestakes, Pat's and Geno's. It's in Philadelphia, right on the Italian market.  Three full size, pebble mix paved, courts with markings and no nets. American Wit onions.

Cons - impending heart-attack due to being next door to the world's home of Philadelphia cheesestakes, Pat's and Geno's. It's in an interesting neighbourhood. Cheeze Wiz wit out.

What better place to play some ball in Philly than right next to the home of the cheeseteak.

WARNING:  This blog accepts no responsibility for what health effects a cheesesteak may induce.


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Elsternwick Park

Elsternwick Park - 1 backboard Slap

I venture out to Elsternwick park most Sundays, they have a thing called Pugwood there, which is basically a thing where 40 odd Pugs get together run around snorting and sniffing each others butts,  I had completely forgotten about the basketball court that I stare blanky at while I try to ignore the fact my dog is doing a dump - If I can't see it, it didn't happen (note: I'm usually a very responsible pooper scooper), While there on Sunday I decided to run back to the car, grab my ball out and throw a few at the ring.

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Pros: It's generally quiet, BBQ 15 meters way, leash free dog park, water bubbler
Cons: It's right next to a playground so lots of screaming kids, other side of the wall is a tennis hitting wall, so balls sometimes fly over, no lines, 1/3 court size, pretty poor ring

Preferred game: just shooting around

Court is a walkable distance from the 67 tram along with Elsternwick Station, Elsternwick pub aint too far either, and if a qtr pounder is your thing, McDonalds is just near there too

Playin for Peanuts

Peanut Farm - Blessington St, St Kilda - 3.5 backboard slaps

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Pros: Full court with line markings, quiet court, water bubbler, close to beach, leash free dog park so your pooch can roam free, netball court next to it so you might meet babes

Cons: anti dunk rings (which doesn't really matter to me) but the anti dunk bit seems to have shifted, making the ring ever so slightly smaller, rings are pretty bouncy too, pretty exposed court, and with the beach in viewing distance can get some strong winds through there

Game of choice: 3 on 3 pick up

I went there pretty early in the morning, say 10 o'clock, so I had a veiwing gallery of hungover backpackers sitting in their wicked camper vans looking like they hadn't showered in weeks, I was thankful I had my shooting game on though, thoroughly impressing the crowds.  It was right next to the farmers market (1st Sat each month) so got me a good lamb sausage in bread for breakfast with a freshly squeezed juice.

Tram number 96 is probably your best bet to get there but 16 will be sufficient. It's quite close to Luna park so you can hear young kids screaming on the ever so frightening roller coaster. There is parking right next to the court but you have to pay, which sucks, but there is free parking not too far away

Gravel....

J.Talbot Reserve, Barkly St St Kilda - 0 backboard slap

There is a football ground down in Queenstown Tasmania which is made entirely of gravel, no grass, just gravel, they say it's where you seperate the boys from the men, well, St Kilda has it's own basketball version, located just behind the National Theatre and mighty close to Dannys Burgers.

Pros: Close to Dannys Burgers
Cons: Gravel court, no lines, about a qtr size of a court, unlevel court, muddy when wet

Tram 16 & 96 will get you close to this gravely graveyard



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Fenced in Fun

Chris Gahan Reserve - Hornby Street, Windsor - 4 backboard slaps

Pros: Full court with line markings, fully fenced, net at one end, half net at the other, not too busy, water bubbler

Cons: Long way to walk around if the ball bounces over the fence, no BBQ (this is important after Windsor Siding), lots of lines on the court (tennis/netball), which is confusing if you wear glasses (but didn't have them on) like me

Preferred Game: 3on3 or HORSE (good to try some shots over the fence)

Nice hidden basketball court in the backstreets of Windsor, located nice and close to the Windor Deli.  Court is open from Sunrise to Sunset, locked up at night as it backs onto a bunch of houses.

Windsor station and tram 6 & 79, 5 & 64 are pretty close by. 2 hour parking right out front of the park.


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Windsor Siding - Windsor

Windsor Siding, Union St, Windsor - 4.5 backboard slaps
Pros: Full court, full markings, tarmac surface, bbq, sweet BMX track, wind protection
Cons: Unforgiving rings.
Preferred game: 5 on 5

L: This is my favorite court we've played on so far, it had a sweet chain net last time we were there, but it has since all tangled up.  Court is well protected from the elements and not very visable from the street, so it means my poor skillz aren't seen by everyone - and not many people use the court.  Free bbq is also handy, and there are bottle shops/pubs within a 2 minute walk for an after drink.  Tranport is also good, Wndsor station is a 30 second walk, with trams 78/6/64/5 all within 5 minutes.

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Curtain Square, Rathdowne St Carlton

Rathdowne/Canning St Carlton - 4 backboard slaps
Pros: Full court, lots of cafes etc for lunch
Cons: Crowded, no nets, concrete surface, kids everywhere.
Preferred game: 4 on 4 



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Gangsta's Paradise

Under High St Clifton Hill: 3 Backboard slaps
Pros: This court is GANGSTA, sick scenary, overpassing trains
Cons: Crap to play on, walls to close to rings, suitable for skaters
Preferred game: Arch Rivals



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Edinburgh Gardens, North Fitzroy

Edinburgh Gardens: 3 Backboard slaps
Pros:  3 quarter court, its in the park, line markings
Cons: Would get blazin hot in the summer, concrete court
Preferred game: 3 on 3



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Denzil Don Reserve Brunswick West

Victoria Street: 3 Backboard slaps
Pros: Broken net, 1/3  court = no running, soccer goals, quiet, swings
Cons: Not near much else, no line markings
Preferred game: 1 on 1



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Melbourne Museum

Melbourne Museum - 2 backboard slaps
Pros: Full court. Draw a crowd. DIY 3 point line.
Cons: Crowded, no nets, tree blocking 3-balls from the corner, a graveyard for ankles and knees, no line markings
Preferred game: 4 on 4 pick up

L: My favorite street court memory was from this court, a dude in full boomers get up, singlet, shorts and socks, at first I thought he was being ironic, you know how hipsters do, but he wasn't a hipster, just some geek.  If only he was wearing aerosports....




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Clifton Hill

Near the cricket nets in Clifton Hill: 3.5 Backboard slaps
Pros: Chain net, 3 quarter court = no running, cricket nets, quiet, line markings
Cons: Would get blazin hot in the summer, concrete surface
Preferred game: 21



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