Harlem Rockets Star Harlem Rockets star Jason Gibbons says he got his start on the courts at the Wiscasset Middle School where he played what he calls "playground basketball."

My name is Jason Gibbons. I grew up in Bath and lived in Wiscasset for 6 years, from the age of 14 to 19.

The reason I'm writing you today is to share my hoop dreams that I had as a boy playing at the Wiscasset Middle School playgrounds. I've been fortunate enough to find success by God's grace in the show- time/entertainment basketball world thanks in no small part to the playground hoops at the Wiscasset Middle School.

I've gotten to know some of New York City's playground/street ball legends and when they ask me about my experiences on the black top, I always talk about the Wiscasset Middle School. Because it was there I truly fell in love with the playground game. I used to go to the Middle school courts every day that the weather would allow and when no one else was there I'd play games in my mind, with scenarios that I'm living out today.

Playground basketball is a beautiful game, and is almost a game unto itself. It's played differently than organized basketball in a gym.

Not that many fouls are called. It's different from a traditional game because it's more free-flowing and at times, flashy. You don't stop the game for a 10 or three-second violation, moving pick or touch fouls etc. You don't stop for time outs and quarters or half-times.

So it's a form of basketball that isn't bound by some of the traditional rules of the game, which really allows you to get creative and express yourself as a basketball player in a way that you have to experience to really understand.

There's something about playing basketball with the hot sun on your back and a warm breeze in your face that is so special. It's hard to describe the beauty of playground basketball but I think you can get the idea. It's taken on a life of its own in the projects and playgrounds in rural cities all over the world.

I said all that to say this. I've been blessed by God to have seen some of my childhood hoop dreams come true.

I've played professionally for the Harlem Rockets now for four years. I've done half-time shows on some big stages all over Maine. I've been able to perform on Fox Sports, with Nike in New York City, with Brand Jordan in New Orleans and with NBA Entertainment at the 2008 NBA All Star Weekend.

Here's a link to the video of my performance at the All-Star game. www.youtube.com:80/watch?v=1AoPev3ZiBU.

The Times Record ran a story about my trip to New Orleans. Visit www.timesrecord.com/website/main.nsf/vwHome/Home.

I've been able to help dedicate Kate's court in Woolwich and organized a basketball court restoration/dedication at a lower income housing park in Bath (and am looking over other torn up parks in Brunswick right now for this summer) for an amazing young man that I worked with for years. I've been able to visit schools all over New England bringing a positive message to thousands of kids.

But when I came to visit the kids at the Wiscasset Middle school a few months ago, I had to smile as I walked by the hoops that I grew up playing on as a young man and thought about how it all started. The playground game that I fell in love with at a young age has really inspired me to play a creative, show- time type of basketball that evolved over the years, but has its roots in Wiscasset, Maine.