New York, July 30 — ’N Sync swapped those carefully
choreographed dance moves for basketball maneuvers Saturday to raise money for
children’s charities.
The boys were joined in New York by celebrity players including Queen Latifah
and Isaiah Thompson, although their fans were hoping to score something
completely different than a slam dunk.
A primarily female audience showed up for the game, screaming through nearly all
the action, while holding up distinct signs with requests for their pop
heartthrobs: “I Want Lance in My Pants,” “Spank My Ass, Mr. Bass,”
“I’m Lustin’ for Justin” and “Hey J.C.—If You Were A Booger, I’d
Pick You First”
The rabid fans also chanted their lungs out in hopes of convincing ’N Sync to
treat them to a song, chanting, “Sing! Sing!” with no success. ’N Sync
called on Kelly Price to perform the national anthem, and the halftime show
featured R-Angels, 95 South, Josh Keaton, Youngbloodz, Peter Gunz and Pink, who
was the best-received by far.
Most Valuable Player?
Fans were given the difficult test of picking sides for their heroes who became
rivals during the game, forming two teams: Daze and Knights with Chris
Kirkpatrick and Justin Timberlake on the Daze, and J.C. Chasez, Lance Bass and
Joey Fatone on the Knights.
The score was tight through most of the game, with Queen Latifah proving she
still is the queen, as the only female player to sink a basket. In the end it
was the Daze who got to sing “Bye, Bye, Bye” to their opponents, coming up
winners with a score of 41-35.
So which ’N Sync-er is the best player? Hands down, it’s Justin, who scored
5 points, followed by Chris, who scored 4.
Next year they plan to try out a more professional location than St. John’s
University for the event, moving the game to the Knicks home of Madison Square
Garden. ’N Sync planned the game to raise money for five charities including
the group’s own Challenge For Children Foundation, the Justin Timberlake
Foundation and Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy.
ABC Radio’s Andrea Dresdale contributed to this report.
Team Lineup
DAZE
Chris Kirkpatrick
Justin Timberlake
Johnny Wright (’N Sync’s Manager)
Ananada (MTV V.J.)
Nikki Deloach (From the group Innosense)
Beverly Mitchell (Actress, 7th Heaven)
Josh Keaton (RCA Recording Artist)
Duane Martin (Actor)
Queen Latifah (Rapper)
Fat Joe (Rapper)
Peter Gunz (Rapper)
Members of Youngbloodz and 95 South
KNIGHTS
Lance Bass
J.C. Chasez
Joey Fatone
Pink (Singer)
Isiah Thomas (Basketball Player)
Jordan Knight (Ex-New Kids On The Block)
Donnell Jones (Singer/Producer)
Darrin Henson (Actor, Soul Food)
Boris Kodjoe (Actor, Soul Food)
Rockmund Dunbar (Actor, Soul Food)
Kelly Price (Singer)
Eric Christian Olsen (Actor, Get Real)
Sean Paul (Singer)
Dean Winters (Actor, Oz)
Carlos Spencer (Rapper)