Finley’s Freddie Amato Reaches
NBA Contest Finals
Freddie Amato overcame daunting odds and 45,000 challengers to reach the finals of the NBA Fit, Dribble, Dish and Swish competition. The J. Taylor Finley Middle School seventh grader is headed to the NBA All-Star Game weekend later this month where he will put his skills to the test against America’s best.
Mr. Amato is one of two finalists in his age group. He earlier won a local contest and went on to capture the regionals held at Queens College. Contest officials then compared the results of other New York, New Jersey and Connecticut regional winners and further narrowed the field by selecting two players in each of three age groups with the fastest times to advance to the NBA All Star finals round.
The competition requires participants to start at half court and dribble as fast as they can, make a lay-up, get their own rebound, rush the foul line, sink the foul shot, dribble back to half-court around through a three-cone course and dribble to the basket again and make another lay-up.
Mr. Amato was encouraged to participate in the contest by Kevin Thorbourne, a Huntington coach and founder of Young Leaders, a community youth development organization. The Finley seventh grader won the local competition at Central Islip and then took the regionals at Queens College, which drew some incredibly talented basketball players who never thought the Huntington sensation could possibly beat them.
“The next step is the NBA All-Star Game festivities,” Mr. Thorbourne said. The game will be played in Brooklyn this year, with various activities taking place in the New York City area over February 13-15.
Mr. Amato will compete for the NBA Fit, Dribble, Dish and Swish national championship on Saturday, February 14 at 4 p.m. at Madison Square Garden. “We wish Freddie the best,” Mr. Thorbourne said.
By reaching the national championship round, Mr. Amato has qualified for an all-expenses paid to the NBA All-Star Game weekend.