Mumford hosted the Detroit premiere of a new movie, on Feb. 15. “A Shot in the Dark” is a documentary about a high school basketball team from Chicago and the challenges they face as they pursue dreams of college and careers in basketball.
Mumford varsity basketball player Abdur Bouyer said everyone in the auditorium really cared about the film because it was so real.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” Bouyer said. “It included the life in the neighborhood and all the players had to go through and overcome. It embodied everything about not just the black athlete, but also the black community. And what they showed about Chicago was just like Detroit.”
The Orr Academy Spartans, the team featured in the movie, actually played at Mumford in 2015, and students watching the film were surprised when they saw shots of Mumford’s gym, dance room and band room.
After the premiere, student athletes were called up to the stage for an announcement. A non-profit organization, Good Sports, arranged for Fox Sports Network to make a donation to the school of $20,000 worth of sports equipment. Good Sports’ mission is to provide new sports apparel, footwear, and equipment to schools in high need areas.
“A Shot in the Dark” was produced by hip hop artist Chance The Rapper and Miami Heat shooting guard Dwyane Wade who both grew up in Chicago and went to school there. Chance the Rapper said in a press release that the movie is an authentic and realistic look at high school sports in Chicago and what it means for their youth.
“It’s not really a game for some of us,” Chance said.
In the same press release, Wade shared that basketball empowered him to overcome the challenges of growing up on the Southside of Chicago.
“The odds were stacked against me, and the game changed the course of my life. It’s important to share these true stories of triumph to inspire the next generation to achieve their dreams when faced with life’s obstacles,” Wade said.
