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World Class Basketball Comes to a Harlem Park

By DNAinfo Staff on August 14, 2010 1:21pm  | Updated on August 15, 2010 10:41am

By Josh Williams

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

HARLEM— A Harlem park hosted international stars as a celebration of basketball tipped off in New York.

Puerto Rico beat Brazil in an exhibition game brought to Rucker Park by the Nike World Basketball Festival, a weekend celebration of the sport which includes a Jay-Z concert and a competition between New York's boroughs.

Friday's game featured Olympian and NBA stars, including ex-Knick Rolando Blackman who played for Puerto Rico.

"It's great to be back in New York," he said.

"I love this city and I miss it."

Other players included Anderson Varejao, who played alongside LeBron James at the Cleveland Cavaliers and joined his Brazilian teammates in Harlem.

"Playing in Harlem is fun," he said. "The crowd was great."

Puerto Rico won the game 77-55.