For Mike. For the future. Changing youth basketball with purpose.
About 2ND Half Hoops
2nd Half Hoops was created in honor of the legacy and determination that Mike put into his own company Hoop Work. "Hoop Work was founded with the goal of providing athletes in New England the opportunity to develop their basketball skills. Our training methods are designed for optimum development by being efficient with the work each young athlete is willing to invest in themselves. Work ethic is the foundation of success in our program"-Mike Babul.
2HH is a youth basketball initiative founded in honor of Mike, a beloved coach and mentor who dedicated his life to using the game to inspire others. After Mike’s passing, his twin brother Jon launched Second Half Hoops to continue the mission they once shared. The program is built on the values of brotherhood, mentorship, and legacy, aiming to impact young athletes through basketball while keeping Mike’s spirit alive. The message emphasizes that even though Mike is no longer physically present, the work they started together continues in a powerful new form. Second Half Hoops represents not just the continuation of a dream, but the beginning of a new chapter--“the second half”—where Mike’s influence lives on through every player, every session, and every lesson taught on and off the court, implementing all the same values that Hoop Work stood for.
Mike Babul
Mike Babul was an independent basketball trainer and the owner of Hoop Work, LLC. Babul grew up in North Attleboro, Massachusetts and graduated from North Attleboro High School in 1996. A coaching veteran that was the head coach at Thayer Academy in Braintree, Massachusetts. Babul also served as the Director of the Metro West Swarm AAU basketball program which operated out of the Fieldhouse Mansfield in Mansfield, Massachusetts. Prior to accepting the position at Thayer Academy, Babul served as an assistant coach for the Long Island Nets, the G-League affiliate of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets. He joined the Nets organization following seven seasons at Wagner College, where he spent his last four seasons as the associate head coach. He previously served as the director of basketball operations at Auburn University, the University of Texas at El Paso and Drexel University. Babul has also worked as an assistant coach at Youngstown State and as an assistant director of operations at the University of Memphis. The Massachusetts native played four collegiate seasons at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst where he served as team captain his Senior season and was a three-time selection to the Atlantic-10 All-Defensive Team and All-Academic Team. As a high school senior, he was the Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year, as well as the Massachusetts High School Coaches Association Player of the Year. Babul was named to the prestigious, Parade Magazine All-American Team in 1996, which honors the Top 40 prep players in the country. Throughout his coaching career he has coached and aided in the development of over 50 players that have gone on to play basketball at the professional level.
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Jon Babul
Jon Babul serves as the Vice President of Basketball Development for the NBA's Atlanta Hawks. Babul also serves as an analyst for the NBA G-League's College Park Skyhawks and calls games for his alma mater, Georgia Tech, on the ACC Network. His professional and collegiate basketball game broadcasts have been aired on ESPN, Fox Sports South, IMG College and CBS networks. Prior to his career with the Atlanta Hawks, Babul spent time as an assistant coach at James Madison University, an Athletic Director and Head Varsity Coach at Mt. Paran Christian School, and as an academic advisor for Georgia Tech Athletics. He currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Naismith Award. After Mike's passing Jon made it his mission to honor Mike by keeping his dream alive and continuing to positively impact youth basketball players through the game that they love.
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Rick Fesik
Rick Fesik, aka "The Fez", has an extensive background in basketball training and development spanning five decades as a player, coach, lecturer and consultant. For years, Rick has created and implemented individual, 1-on-1 training methods that coaches use at all levels of basketball. "The Fez" is a player development guru and has worked with numerous athletes who have gone on to play at the collegiate and professional levels. Rick's strength is "the art" of meeting and developing relationships with basketball players at all skill levels. He takes immense pride in following his clients on their basketball journey and accelerating their path to success through dedicated skill development and strong relationship building. He played high school basketball at Mt. St. Charles Academy in R.I., and went on to play college ball at Dean College, where he was the 10th leading scorer in New England at 20.4 points per game in his senior season. He is a consultant to high school and college basketball teams (Boys & Girls) throughout Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. For years, Rick has served as a clinician, coach and/or director at Sarah Behn camps, Rick Patch's Complete Player camps, and Hoop Work basketball camps and clinics. .
