ABOUT HITS

About :  Hoops In The Sun Group, LLC. (HITS) is a community based basketball program dealing primarily in the streetball industry. The Hoops In The Sun basketball program held is at Orchard Beach in Bronx, New York, where according to the New York Daily News, over 700,000 people will visit the beach during the summer weekends. It provides a recreational activity for adults and youth and an entertainment outlet for beach-going spectators of all ages.

Since starting in the year 2000, Hoops In The Sun has already earned its spot as one of the premiere Pro-Am runs on the entire East Coast. With the $5 million in improvements made to Orchard Beach in 1999, Hoops In The Sun has served as a complement to the rebuilding efforts and activity expansion within this New York City summer "hot spot". Going strong into its eight year, Hoops In The Sun will once again bring some of the most competitive New York City basketball to this attractive environment.

Hoops In The Sun was created by Rufino (Joe) Cruz, Sr., but was known to many as Joe "Pops" Cruz, and his two sons Joe Jr., and Randy in the Summer of 2000 as an 8-team Pro-Am Men's League for male adults age 18 years and older including current and former college standouts and professional basketball. In 2001, the program was expanded to include a Women's Pro-Am league for female adults age 18 years and older as well as a Youth Clinic in association with the New York City Parks & Recreation for children ages 7-12. Expanding the program has allowed Hoops In The Sun to increase the overall participation within the community.

In 2004, Hoops In The Sun expanded both the Men's League and Youth League Divisions from an 8-team league to a 10-team league. This allowed the influx of talent from all across the Tri-State Area to participate in the league. To date, teams from Chicago, Philadelphia, Albany, Westchester County and Rockland County.

In what was becomming one of the great seasons in league history in 2004, on August 16th,, the CEO/Founder of Hoops In The Sun, Joe "Pops" Cruz, passed away at the age of 57, prior to the beginning of the playoffs. Start N' 5, the team he built from scratch, changed the team name in his honor to "POPS 5." Pops 5 was scheduled to play Hoop Street in the semi-finals. In what will go down as the most memorable, emotional playoff game, Pops 5 was victorious over Hoop Street by a last second shot by Darren Phillip. This game also featured a Hoops In The Sun record for most three-point shots made in a game by Hoop Street's Chester Felts, who hit 10 three's and a Hoops In The Sun playoff record for most points scored in a game by a player, Pops 5's John Strickland with 50 points. Pops 5 would eventually meet T.N.P. in the 2004 championship game and what was emotional for the players, was also emotional for the fans who watched the game. T.N.P. defeated Pops 5 86-84 and finished with an 10-1 overall record.

Since 2005, Hoops In The Sun has been in many media publications, such as SLAM Magazine, DIME Magazine, Bounce Magazine, MSG Network, ESPN, the New York Daily News and the New York Post.