Waiter, I'll Have Basketball For Lunch

DENVER—Every weekday lunch-hour since James Naismith taught Denverites the game in 1895, Denver’s doctors, lawyers, business executives and everyone in between have changed into gym shorts and played basketball. I laced up my new Jordan’s and played ball at three different downtown clubs to gage the quality of ball at each. I took into consideration style of play, quality of hoopers, quality of court, waiting times, locker rooms and general impressions.

Denver Athletic Club
1325 Glenarm
(303) 534-1211

The Denver Athletic Club is by far the best place to play pick-up basketball in downtown Denver. You can feel the history and class emitting from the walls as soon as you step into the spacious lobby of the DAC. A longtime Denver institution, the DAC is tops for amenities and atmosphere. Gym Supervisor Eric Cooper ensures the lunch time runs are open, active and gentlemanly.

At other Downtown lunch-time games the impression is that the players are only fitting basketball in before they can get back to work. Not so at the DAC.  Rather, the DAC hoopers seem to work only because they need to do something between games.  
    
The talent trumps the other downtown gyms, mostly due to actual size. The basketball axiom holds true; You can’t teach height. They play a good get-up-and-go style, running two full court games at a time.  The players at DAC look for the pass, shoot with a measure of consistency and generally stay well below the rim. The DAC is the rare club where defense calls the fouls. Any calls made by the offense are categorically called “whines.”  The players leave on-court complaining to the Rasheed Wallaces of the world.

At the DAC, expect your 3-on-3 warm up game to be competitive, your opponent to invite you to lunch just as he puts a wicked crossover on you and a Colorado sports history lesson walking from the locker room to the court.

Colorado Athletic Club, Downtown
1630 Welton
(303) 623 2100

The definition of a fancy shmancy club. Sitting inside a bubble dome on the 10th floor, The NBA sized basketball court plays host to Downtown Denver’s movers and shakers. At such a ritzy club there are few new faces. Most everybody is a regular. The style is pretty athletic and fluid, but very rushed. The general impression of the lunch-hour game is that everybody has better places to be.  Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. are the best times for games.  
    
In addition to the full-size court on the top floor, there is a much smaller court just below.  The lower court is perfectly sized for full-court 3-on-3, but is a bit crowded at 4-on-4.  

The towel service, great locker rooms, and other gym amenities make the Colorado Athletic Club the second best run in Downtown.

Downtown YMCA
25 E. 16th Avenue, Unit B
(303) 861-8300

The Downtown “Y” has one of the oldest lunch time runs in Colorado. Many of the familiar faces have been playing together for nearly 30 years. A few mid 20’s types play; they speed the game up and keep the ball going through the net. The pick-up ball here has been a mainstay in Westword’s Best of Denver.
    
I liked that the guys set a lot of screens and were willing passers. No ball hogging.

What I did not like, was the number of foul calls. At the Downtown Y you can expect to spend about half the time playing ball, and the other half arguing. I don’t really care for “shirts and skins,” but that’s just a personal preference.

Charley Silverman is a staff writer for Mile High Hoops. Contact him at csilverman@milehighhoops.com