ESPN Films will feature two high school basketball stories in new documentaries premiering back-to-back Tuesday, August 8, on ESPN. “Baltimore Boys,” co-directed by Marquis Daisy and Sheldon Candis, will air at 8 p.m. ET followed by “Morningside 5,” directed by Mike Tollin, at 9:30 p.m. ET. Trailer: http://es.pn/2ueW9FI

“Baltimore Boys” Film Summary:

In the early 1980s, the city of Baltimore was reeling – a shell of a once vibrant urban center that could trace its painful decline to the riots of 1968, the economic decline of the ‘70s, and more recently, the rise of crack cocaine on the streets. But in the city’s troubled East Baltimore neighborhood, there was one beacon of hope: The Dunbar High School boys basketball team. Under the resolute leadership of Bob Wade – a defensive back for NFL legends Vince Lombardi and Don Shula – the Dunbar Poets entered the decade as a powerhouse.

But from 1981 to 1983, they became something even greater – arguably the best high school basketball team that ever played. Over two seasons, they went 59-0, and 11 players on their rosters went off to Division I programs. Four would become future NBA players: David Wingate, Reggie Williams, Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues and Reggie Lewis, three of them making history by getting selected together in the first round of the 1987 draft.

In the ESPN Films documentary “Baltimore Boys,” directors Marquis Daisy and Sheldon Candis chronicle the journey of those four boys and their coach, who reached heights that they couldn’t have imagined, even if their saga was capped by a tragedy that made some wonder how far they ever really got away. “Baltimore Boys” Trailer: http://es.pn/2udEIE1

“This story, to me, embodies what it means to persevere, under conditions that normally hinder the growth of young boys from disadvantaged urban communities, from the very start,” said co-director Marquis Daisy.  “What’s special about this tale is, despite the bad hand that Bogues, Williams, Wingate and Lewis were dealt, in the backdrop of a time when the place that they called home was at its most dangerous, they were able to make it out of that environment and ascend to heights that hardly anyone gave them a chance to, thanks to the people who helped steer them in the right direction.”

“Baltimore Boys” will also air on ABC Sunday, August 13, at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT.

“Morningside 5” Film Summary:

In 1992, a young filmmaker named Mike Tollin chronicled one season in the lives of the Morningside High basketball team in Inglewood, California. They were the defending state champions, and all five starters were returning for their senior year. They seemed a shoo-in to win a second straight state title, and the five guys all thought they were on a path to become “the next Jordan.”

However, the season didn’t go quite as planned. But the film, produced with Brian Robbins, was an award-winner and a hit on the film festival circuit. Tollin would go on to direct and produce feature films (Varsity Blues, Radio, Coach Carter) and popular TV series such as Smallville, One Tree Hill and Arli$$. He never forgot, though, the magic of the Morningside 5 In fact, he returned a decade later to see how they were doing and made a follow-up film on their various exploits.

But 10 years wasn’t long enough to get the full picture. Inspired by songs from Bobby Womack’s last album (The Bravest Man in the Universe), Tollin revisited and reunited the Morningside 5 to follow their very disparate paths. “I realized they were now around the age I was when we started together,” Tollin said. “I found their journeys fascinating, both heart-breaking and heroic.”  Directed by Tollin and produced by Mason Gordon, ESPN Films’ “Morningside 5” is an intimate portrait of 25 years in the lives of these five men from Inglewood. A story of friendship, failure, striving and, ultimately, redemption. “Morningside 5” Trailer: http://es.pn/2tLejv2

“Morningside 5” will also air on ABC Saturday, August 12, at 3:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT.

About ESPN Films

ESPN Films has been an industry leader in documentary filmmaking since its inception in March 2008, producing more than 100 documentaries that have showcased some of the most compelling stories in sports. The high quality of storytelling, highlighted by the Peabody and Emmy-Award winning 30 for 30 series and the Academy-Award winning documentary “O.J.: Made in America,” has led to record viewership as well as multiple honors and critical acclaim. Additional projects from ESPN Films over the years have included 30 for 30 Shorts, Nine for IX and the SEC Storied series.

-30-