Torrey Smith held his annual charity basketball game Saturday at the University of Maryland's Comcast Center.
The "Battle of the Beltway" was tabbed as a Ravens vs. Redskins affair, as Smith captained a team full of Ravens and Redskins linebacker Ryan Kerrigan led the other squad. The event was attended by 4,493 people and it benefited the charities of both players.
"I just want to thank everybody in all of these seats," Smith told the crowd at halftime. "Without your support this wouldn't be possible to benefit our charities, so we thank you so much."
This was the fourth year for Smith's game, but the first season that it was held at the Comcast Center. He previously held the event at his old high school in Virginia, but the demand outgrew the facility at Stafford High School.
Smith and Kerrigan recruited a star-studded group of players to participate. The Ravens team included Terrell Suggs, Haloti Ngata, Jacoby Jones, Marlon Brown, Tyrod Taylor and Sam Koch. Former Ravens Anquan Boldin, Anthony Allen and LaQuan Williams also participated.
The Redskins team included DeAngelo Hall, Kirk Cousins and A.J. Jenkins, and other NFL players like Cleveland's Joe Haden and Greg Little, Indianapolis' T.Y. Hilton and Carolina's Greg Hardy also came into town for the game. Even rapper Wale played in the game as a member of the Redskins team.
"Torrey is like a brother to me," Taylor said. "We met back in high school, we came into the NFL the same year, and we've been good friends since. Wherever I was, I would always come and support him. He's a good friend and this a great event."
Smith also had support from teammates and member of the Ravens who weren't playing in the game. Bernard Pierce, Lardarius Webb, Aaron Mellette, Brynden Trawick and D.J. Bryant all attended. Even former teammate Arthur Jones also brought his family to the game.
The game was friendly between the two sides, but it was also competitive. The Ravens ended up winning 63-61 in overtime, as Jacoby Jones tipped in a missed shot just seconds before the buzzer.
Here were some of the other highlights:
- Former Ravens wide receiver Tori Gurley was the game's MVP. He had a number of dunks that brought the fans to their feet, and he was a big reason the Ravens came away with the victory.
- Smith said coming into the game that Boldin would treat the contest "like Game 7 of the NBA Finals." He wasn't joking. Boldin went all out for the game, and was even arguing with the refs about calls he didn't like at the end of regulation. Boldin joked after the game that "we need to work on the refs next year."
- Smith's wife, Chanel, was able to attend the game even though she is expected to have the couple's first child any day. She sat at the end of the bench, and the couple also went around the arena thanking fans for attending during breaks in the action.
- Suggs is always working the officials. He's known for chiding refs during NFL games, and that was no different Saturday. He was constantly talking to the refs in between quarters making his case about previous plays.
- Ngata wins the award for being the most relaxed player during the game. He lightly jogged around during his limited action on the court and played just a couple of minutes. The big defender is still a force near the basket, and nobody really wanted to get in his way when he had the ball.
- Jones hit the game winner, but he did miss a number of shots close to the hoop earlier in the game. He also air balled a shot in overtime. But he got the last laugh, and he had a good time dancing in between quarters.
