Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) : The Cavaliers’ Baseball season ended in defeat in Omaha, and with collegiate sports largely dormant, the burden of keeping the electricity of the Charlottesville sports scene alive for the summer has fallen to a group of young athletes in the heart of the city. For years now, the players of the Tonsler Basketball league have brought all the energy, spirit, style, and verve of Rucker Park in Brooklyn, or AND1 in its prime to the pavement arenas of Cherry Avenue. The league, which began life as the Banks College Basketball Association, named for its founder, Damian “Snake” Banks, is now under the stewardship of Dr. Wes Bellamy. Bellamy was named Commissioner in 2022 and renamed the league to bear the name of the first black school in Charlottesville, Benjamin Tonsler.
League action, regularly scheduled for Thursday and Sunday, had an All-Star celebration to honor Juneteenth. It featured a 3v3 tournament for the Jr. Tonslers, teams formed by local kids, that took place at the League’s former home, The New Dell Basketball courts. By 5pm, Tonsler Park was buzzing with excitement. Under a stunning twilight sun, the whir of air pumps, keeping bounce houses standing for several happy toddlers, along with the accompanying delightful laughter, filled the air. Food trucks provided happy park guests with delicious treats, and as the championship game for the tournament got underway on the main court, the strains of expertly played go-go music filled the air.
The party ran into the night after the 3v3 championship had concluded. The League’s best female players took the court for an all-star showcase in front of hundreds of spectators, lawn chairs in tow, who turned out to support the dynamic young players of all ages they’ve seen through the TBL’s existence (See Picture Bel0w). The action concluded with the premier game of the night, another all-star team, consisting of the league’s best men’s players, battled a squad from Richmond representing Love Day, the capital’s equivalent league to the Tonsler League.
On the heels of several harrowing crimes that have put the community on edge, and have kept Charlottesville Police busy, it is fair to say that such a celebration was desperately needed, and greatly appreciated by all those who attended, this reporter included.
