GREEN & WHITE BASKETBALL

Izzo joins Snoop Dogg, Morris Peterson at Hoop 4 Water

Chris Solari
Lansing State Journal
Snoop Dogg poses with Michigan State Basketball head coach Tom Izzo, former Toronto Raptor player Morris Peterson and and Pistons mascot Hooper during the Hoop 4 Water celebrity basketball game at the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint on Saturday May 21, 2016. Proceeds from the event will go toward the Morris Peterson Jr. Foundation for water relief efforts.

FLINT – It was a red-carpet affair, basketball and celebrity converging in the bowels of the arena. Paparrazi flashed their bulbs and TV camera lights shined as luminaries strolled by one at a time.

Finally, the crowd cleared. Snoop Dogg entered the building. He stopped long enough to hug 8-year-old Mari Copeny, whose letter to President Obama about her hometown’s water crisis drew national attention. “Little Miss Flint” disappeared into the rapper’s arms.

Across from them sat unopened cases of bottled water. As if anyone there needed the reminder.

Snoop Dogg came to Flint on Saturday, teaming up with former Michigan State star Morris Peterson for the “Hoop 4 Water” charity basketball game at Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center. More than a thousand people came out, and Peterson said all of the proceeds will go through his foundation to help the city’s needs.

“We’re here to try to fix the problem,” Snoop Dogg said. “That’s why we’re bringing joy and happiness and a basketball game so people can have some fun. But no one understands what the cause is. We’re here to make sure we get the problem fixed out here with the water situation.”

It’s a cause Peterson and Snoop discussed in February after another celebrity game during NBA All-Star Weekend in Toronto. Snoop had traveled to Flint in January to meet with Mayor Karen Weaver, and Peterson said the rapper wanted to continue to help the city.

“We had just got done sweating, and I was like, ‘Let’s play a game.’ And he’s like, ‘I’m there. You don’t have to worry about anything, I’m coming down on my own dime because I care about this city,’” said Peterson, who got the night off from his broadcasting duties with TSN in Canada. “The rest is history.”

Other celebrities included Peterson’s former teammate and Flint native Mateen Cleaves, Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron, Flint boxer and former WBC champ Anthony “The Dog” Dirrell, a number of Detroit rappers –  headlined by Trick Trick (who coached Team Snoop) – and MTV personality Sway Calloway (who coached Team Mo-Pete).

Morris Peterson-Snoop Dogg hoops game to benefit Flint

MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo arrived with Peterson and met with his former player and Snoop Dogg before the game, sitting courtside to watch the game. Izzo had brought his Spartans to Flint in February after a loss the night before to Purdue to help volunteer assistance.

Izzo said he reminded Snoop Dogg that Peterson and fellow Flintstone Antonio Smith were his first recruits as head coach at MSU and remain a big reason for his career success. But he also said seeing his former player giving back to Flint is even more rewarding.

“Playing is one thing. To come back and give to his community and be something that a lot of people can be proud of, that makes me feel better than a championship to be honest with you,” Izzo said. “What I really have enjoyed seeing – and I think this is supposed to be an uplifting event – is people are rallying together. Yeah, we went through our depressed moments.

“But I see so many people giving back to their community. It’s maybe making everybody realize we’re all in this together. And that includes the state for me. All of us gotta help Flint, just like all of us had to help Detroit.”

Lead-tainted pipes tainted the city’s water in 2014 after a switch to the Flint River from Lake Huron and Detroit River sources. Governor Rick Snyder declared a state of emergency for the city in January.

Weaver said the crisis made her realize how much something as simple as water can affect a number of facets of life. She emphasized that it should not be taken for granted.

“What else is needed, besides financial help to fix the pipes?” she said. “We still need water. We still need filters. We still need other kind of hygiene products, hand sanitizer, body wipes. And we’re also looking for healthy foods and produce. We’re looking for books and educational things for our young kids, so we need a lot still.”

MSU's top 50 basketball players: No. 10 Morris Peterson

In terms of basketball, it was as competitive a celebrity game as you’ll find. There were no-look passes, behind-the-back dribbles and long-distance swishes. Even a dunk or two. There wasn’t a player on the court who couldn’t hold their own, athlete, actor or rapper.

Snoop Dogg even flashed the ability to handle the rock, distribute the ball and finish in traffic. His defense even forced a 10-second violation, right in front of a wildly grinning Izzo.

With the score tied and about 3 minutes remaining, things intensified even more. Cleaves sliced through the lane and got fouled on a layup for Peterson’s team. Ebron threw down a dunk off an assist from Snoop. Hard fouls. Players from both squads dove all over the court after loose balls.

And then …

It doesn’t matter, right?

To the players, it did. Flint wouldn’t have its basketball any other way.

Peterson swished another 3-pointer with 22 seconds left, then got a steal to set up another bucket at the other end. Final score: Team Mo-Pete 104, Team Snoop 99.

“It was all for fun, but we still want to win,” Cleaves said. “It was only fitting that Mo-Pete knocked down that shot. For what he did for this community today is huge. It’s something this city will never forget.”