NEW YORK – The Golden Hoops enjoyed a renaissance on Sunday. Call it a relaunch but the word is out: We’re back.

Back in the day it was one of most anticipated summer basketball events on the schedule. It brought an unofficial conclusion to the AAU circuit in a basketball mecca that spawned countless future pros and college All-Americans.

Golden Hoops was the king in the 1980s and early ‘90s. It was sponsored by a major New York daily newspaper and supported by basketball aficionados from all over. It was previously held before standing-room-only crowds at CCNY and Columbia University when New York’s AAU power brokers ran the scene.

As former players said, wearing that Golden Hoops t-shirt was a sure sign that you were schoolboy hoop royalty. The same today can be said when a player wears his or her McDonald’s All American gear to the local playground or court.

Yet it fell by the wayside in the 1990s—although it was revived briefly in 2010 as an outdoor game in Brooklyn. Some blamed the oversaturation of the summer scene or financial reasons. Players stopped making appearances.

When the calendar reached August this summer, the summer scene grind to a halt. The major show companies such as Nike, adidas and Under Armour held season ending events in July. Las Vegas blew the roof off the scene with myriad events.

With less than two weeks until the start of school, Mike Flynn of USJN from Philadelphia felt the timing was right to reintroduce Golden Hoops at CUNY Baruch College’s gymnasium to an eager group of fans, players and coaches.

“This is a great brand and the game can be restored to the past glory,” Flynn said. “This year we got a late start but at least we planted the seeds for the coming years. Social media was receptive and once we get a better advance notice this event will be must-see basketball for the sophisticated fans of New York. We’re already planning next year but this was a good start.”

Six games were booked—two girls, four boys—and brought closure to the grueling summer and kicked-started a generation that could strive to wow the crowds in a city that take its basketball seriously. For every thousands fans in attendance there are a thousand critics in the house.

Tough crowd but it should not be staged any other way.

The schedule included the renowned Philadelphia Belles girls vs. New Heights (N.Y.) in the opener; followed by We Are 1 boys against Shooting Stars; and the Philly Belles girls, coached by Paul Martinez, played the New York Havoc wrapped up the first half of the half-dozen by early afternoon.

The third game was quality from the opening tip.

The Havoc, who played on Nike’s EYBL circuit, is from Capital District or Albany, N.Y. The Havoc had a reduced roster and the Belles eventually wore them down in a 70-48 decision. The Belles were up by six points, 34-28, at the intermission and used their depth to put away the New Yorkers.

Faith Masonius, who is entering her senior year at nationally ranked Manasquan (N.J.), is a ballyhooed Maryland recruit and earned her team’s Most Valuable Player honors. For the Havoc it was tall, long wing Grace Heeps, a UMass recruit, who was her team’s top player. Breana Rozzi, a Loyola of Maryland pledge, also added punch to the havoc lineup.

The Belles had too much explosiveness, though.

Two elite players from the Class of 2021 were showcased. At 5 feet 9 inches, Olivia Miles is a talented combo-guard from Blairstown (N.J.) Academy and 6-4 post Amari DeBerry of Williamsville (N.Y.) South (suburban Buffalo) is a future pro and Olympian. Add rising, speedy freshman guard Sydni Scott, junior Teaghan Flaherty (of Rye, N.Y.), rising freshman Kourtney Wilson, 6-1 junior Kaci Wilson of Owego, N.Y. (near Binghamton), Julianna Laguna of Staten Island (headed to Xaverian in Brooklyn), Texas-bound Celeste Taylor of Long Island Lutheran (Brookhaven, N.Y.) and junior guard Maddie Burke of Central Bucks West (Doylestown, Pa.), one of USA Basketball ‘s last cuts for the U17 National team this summer—and that’s a formidable squad.

The Belles advanced to the semifinals of the EYBL Nike National last month in Chicago.

Adding to the ambience of a drizzly Sunday afternoon in midtown Manhattan was the big-city sound of DJ Logo (a.k.a. Jason Logan of the Bronx). As with many showcase events in the city, the DJ and a “miked up” courtside announcer (a.k.a. colorful play-by-play man) set the scene.

Throughout the afternoon, sounds clips set the tone and the play on the hardwood framed the rival of an institution.

In the fourth game, We Are 1 boys defeated the New York Lightning, 97-95. We Are 1 led48-32 at halftime and 76-59 through three quarters. But the Lightning made a game of it in the fourth, tying it at 95 with 11 seconds left on Maliek Edmond’s 3-pointer from the right wing. Following a timeout, Byron Breland broke down the defense, taking it hard to the rim and was fouled.

Breland made both free throws with 2.8 seconds to go and Edmond’s running one-hander at the buzzer fell short. Edmond was the Lightning MVP with 27 points. Ronnie Ellis of We Are 1 flipped in a game-high 30 and took home honors for his club.

The New York Gauchos (Bronx, N.Y.) trailed by five points in the third and two at the break but rallied to topple the New Jersey Playaz (Paterson, N.J.), 71-62, in the fifth game of the day.

Down 31-29 at halftime, the Gauchos pushed ahead 38-35 midway through the third quarter and extended it 48-40 entering the fourth. Matt Mayers, 6-8 junior, of the Gauchos and 6-6 junior Nick Jordain of the Playaz (and Montclair Immaculate High in New Jersey) were tabbed the MVPs.

The final contest featured New York favorites New Heights and Lincoln Park (or the 16U team of the New York Rens). Lincoln Park’s Sterling Jones, a rising sophomore guard at Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) canned a pair of back-breaking 3-pointers at the first and third quarter buzzers in a 70-65 victory.

Jones and Julian Champlane of New Heights were game MVPs.

“Overall I thought the games were competitive and fans saw some future Division I players perform,” Flynn added.