'We want him to always be with us': North High hoops honor former teammate with custom sneakers
WORCESTER — As the North High boys’ basketball team ran up and down the court Tuesday afternoon, a wide array of b-ball shoes dashed across the black and orange backdrop of their gymnasium.
Black, pink, red and white sneakers — along with a few team-issued purple Nike KD 16s — occupied the feet of the undefeated Polar Bears during practice.
And shortly after their session, the contingent of players traveled to Millbury Street to add another pair of shoes to the list: customized Nike Air Force 1s (courtesy of Scoop Drip).
The sneakers are the latest pieces of wear to find their way into North’s ever-growing closet. The Polar Bears are quickly becoming the sultans of swag in Central Mass.
“I’m sure there are some programs out there that have some great attire but, speaking from what I’ve seen, I haven’t seen anyone that’s come close to us,” said North coach Al Pettway, who’s shown off some fashionable outfits on the sideline through the years.
“I would say North High is No. 1 right now.”
‘Watching them last year was inspiring’
When North High hoops visited Scoop Drip last winter to paint their own custom shoes for the first time (thanks to a grant from the Worcester Arts Council), Pettway shared a gut feeling with former team manager Andrew Slowaski, who runs the sneaker consignment shop in Worcester along with his brother, Vaughn.
“We were sitting here talking, and (Pettway) looks at me, and he’s like ‘These guys are going to win a state championship,’ ” Slowaski recalled.
“And they did it,” Pettway said.
After their stop by Scoop Drip, the Polar Bears went on a magical run that concluded with them winning the first Division 1 boys’ basketball state championship in Worcester Public School history.
North finished its 2022-23 season on a 21-game win streak and with an overall record of 24-2.
“Watching them last year was inspiring,” said Slowaski, a 2008 North High grad. “Just watching them come together and do something that’s never been done in this city, it was amazing.”
Swagger like us
Amid a 17-day gap between games this season, the North High basketball team — winners of 36 straight and slotted second in the most recent Division 1 MIAA power rankings — stopped by Scoop Drip Tuesday to pick up its latest customized sneakers (thanks to a sponsorship from Phoenix Marketing & Advertising Inc.).
North spent nearly 30 minutes unboxing Air Force 1s, which boast custom-made orange tongues with “NORTH” etched above the face of a Polar Bear inside of a basketball. The right shoe displays an orange “N” on the side, while the left showcases a black Polar Bear paw print.
The Nike sneakers, however, aren’t meant to be worn while playing basketball. No, they’re best suited for pre- and postgame.
The Polar Bears have become trend-setters on and off the court. Shoes, shirts and shorts galore.
“We play like we got swagger,” North High junior forward Khari Bryan said. “So we gotta do what we gotta do off the court with swagger, too.”
And over the past two years, Scoop Drip has been happy to dish out some swag to the stylish basketball team from Worcester.
“We try to collaborate with local businesses and local artists,” said Slowaski, who opened the store in 2020 with his brother. “We try to do things that are just good for our community and the kids. That’s what it’s about.”
Everything is for Carl
As Joe Okla and Teshaun Steele unboxed their own pair of white, black and orange Air Force 1s following practice Tuesday, the two North High senior captains couldn’t help but think about one of their past teammates.
Written inside their left shoes are “E4C” while their right shoes have “20” etched inside. The inscriptions are made in memory of former North High basketball player Carl-Hens Beliard, who died on Nov. 1 of gunshot wounds.
The well-liked Beliard was the lone senior on last year’s North High team that won a state title. He wore No. 20 and the “E4C” stands for “Everything is for Carl.”
“He would love (the shoes),” Okla said. “When we got them last year, he would always wear them, and he loved it. Coordinating his symbol into it, it just shows that everything we do, we make sure we remember him.”
“He was a big part of our family,” Steele said, “and to have him around with us all the time (on our shoes) is great.”
No matter what shoes the Polar Bears wear, Beliard is on their mind. And in their hearts.
When it comes to the North High boys’ basketball team this winter, everything is for Carl.
“It just shows that we always keep him in our memory,” Okla said. “He’s always going to be around, and we want him to always be with us.”
—Contact Tommy Cassell at tcassell@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.