‘Basketball In The Barrio’ Highlights EP Basketball Camp

By ABC-7 Reporter Darren Hunt

EL PASO, Texas – A new documentary, set to debut in El Paso on Wednesday, is centered around a basketball camp that started in the Segundo Barrio.

“Basketball in the Barrio” is produced and directed by former professional basketball player Doug Harris. Harris shot the film over a five-year period in the Sun City.

It focuses on a camp for underprivileged kids, which was started 14 years ago by former UTEP assistant Russ Bradburd and ex-Miner Steve Yellen.

Among those interviewed in the film are Don Haskins, Nolan Richardson and Juan Lazcano. Harris hopes the documentary inspires others to get involved:

“This is a story that needs to be told,” Harris said.

Harris tells the story by weaving the culture and history of El Paso together with basketball … and the Barrio.

“El Paso has always been a great place for basketball,” Richardson says in the film.

“Basketball in the Barrio” is the story of how the camp came to be. The late Rocky Galarza, a former Bowie High School sports star, made it his mission to help underprivileged children, like El Paso boxer Juan Lazcano.

“Isn’t it beautiful when someone is gone and they live on,” Lazcano says in the documentary.

Bradburd and Yellen decided to continue Galarza’s mission with Basketball in the Barrio.

“Rocky lives, Rocky lives,” Lazcano says.

It’s clearly one of the most unique basketball camps in the country.

“The camp is our way of remembering Rocky Galarza, who trained kids for free for 30 years,” Bradburd says in the film.

Harris says basketball is the hook to draw the kids into the camp. There’s lots of dribbling, but there’s also story telling and music.

“This is a story that’s a well-kept secret that I’m gonna put out there,” Harris said. “And I’ve done it and I love the film, I really do.”

“Basketball in the Barrio” debuts Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in the Plaza Theater’s Philanthropy Theater. Only a few tickets remain. But you can see the film for free on Friday at the Marco Polo Theater at 2708 North Mesa.