Sprite Grant is a Slam Dunk for Phelps Lane Park

Neighborhood youth will soon have a brand new, state-of-the-art basketball court to play on due to a $20,000 renovation grant from Sprite and the Coca-Cola Company.

The run down basketball courts at Phelps Lane Park in North Babylon will receive the grant after residents voted for the park in the national Sprite Spark Parks Project contest on Facebook.

The funding will go toward much needed repairs to the courts surface, repainting and installing safety padding around existing lights.

Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Councilman Tony Martinez and Parks and Recreation Department Commissioner Frank Bachety joined the North Babylon High School varsity babsketball team Thursday afternoon to accept the check from Sprite representatives.

"The renovations will make a huge difference in the court's safety and appearance, but it was the excitementment and happiness the youth expressed that made me most thankful for Sprite's donation," Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer said.

"I had my first tournament here when I was 5 or 6 years old. When they redo the courts, I'll definitely be spending more time down here," Melshawn McPhearson, a sophomore on the team, said. "It's amazing because some schools don't even have parks like this. We're lucky."

After the press conference, Schaffer and his staff joined the team on the court for a game. After a number of missed shots, the town representatives will be keeping their day jobs.

Gordan Canary, a staff member of Sen. Owen Johnson's, however, surprised the team with an easy 6 points. Canary played for St. John's high school as a student.

The Phelps Lane Park courts are just one of 21 basketball courts across the country that will receive a makeover through the grant project.