Mission Statement of the East Bay Rising Suns
The mission of the East Bay Rising Suns is to form competitive level boys and girls basketball teams of different grades to compete with other high level basketball organizations in open tournaments throughout Northern California. The Rising Suns embodies many East Bay organizations, coaches, supporters and players. Drawing from pools of basketball excellence in the East Bay, a new generation of young boys and girls have been selected to participate on teams that will represent community pride and spirit of competition.
We believe that playing basketball is a vital extension of the academic commitment that players make in their classrooms. In addition to encouraging teamwork and sportsmanship, our goal is to not only help improve players’ basketball skills, but also to provide a healthy social environment, instilling lasting friendships among our players and their families.
Early History of the East Bay Rising Suns
The East Bay Rising Suns were formed in the early 2000’s and have held an annual tournament each year since 2002. The organization has boys and girls teams between the 7th and 12 grade and play various basketball events each fall and spring.
Founding members included: Bruce Shimada, Steve Tanaka, and Paul Oda. Other leaders in the early stages of the organization were: Aaron Muranishi, Dennis Nakamura, Mike Yatabe, and Kim Leung.
Steve Tanaka as his kids were growing up and they were started to be asked to join organizations for tournaments, he saw there was no organization based in the East Bay.
He saw that there were established organizations in San Jose (Zebras/Ninjas) , San Francisco (Associates, Enchantees), Foster City (Flyers), Sacramento (Barons, Rebels, Warlords), but no organization representing the East Bay. Steve floated the idea with Bruce Shimada who he had known since his childhood and they along with Paul Oda came up with idea to create the organization that became the East Bay Rising Suns in 2002.
They named the organization after the Berkeley Rising Suns which was made up of mostly Berkeley High School graduates and was a very successful team among the NAU leagues and tournaments formed in the early 1970’s.
The Berkeley Rising Suns followed in the footsteps of some of the top NAU teams that were also based in Berkeley. The Berkeley Nissei Greens where were one of the top AA teams in the 1940/50’s. (6 NAU AA championships)
Berkeley Cleaners who where one of the top AA teams in the 1960’s (3 NAU AA championships), and the Berkeley Royals (2 NAU championships) , who were one of the top AA teams in the late 60’s and early 70’s.
From 1941 to 1975, Berkeley based NAU teams won 13 of the 28 league AA championships during this period.
Some East Bay Rising Suns links or Interesting Links
East Bay Rising Suns Flicker Image Site:
East Bay Rising Suns, images of all Tournament Programs since 2002:
Sacramento Barons History link:
https://www.sacramentobarons.org/about.html
East Bay Rising Suns 