Ballislife is back, joining up with the Hoop State Network, with another must-see 1 v. 1 streetball pay-per-view live from Raleigh, North Carolina, this Saturday, “The Proving Grounds: Ballislife vs. Hoop State”, featuring all of the top talent our company has to offer against some of the most promising competition the Tar Heel State has to offer.
The event is headlined by some truly intriguing matchups, including the undisputed king Nasir Core against Greenville, North Carolina’s own Justin Wright. The main event of the evening will be something to behold as well, as Rob Colon and Jomaru will take on Bijan and SK in a tag team 1 v. 1 showdown. Lamar “Parking Lot” Peters is on the card and taking on former USC star and Burlington, North Carolina native JT Terrell. That’s not to mention Uncle Skoob, Zae, and Left Hand Dom, who are all going to be on-site and hooping this weekend live on Ballislife YouTube.
BIL and the Hoop State are bringing the BEST hoopers of Ballislife and the BEST hoopers in North Carolina to compete in a series of 1v1s and 3v3s on May 23, as we continue the quest to crown the city with the best hoopers. In season 4, the stakes are getting even higher. Winner gets an automatic bid to the finals in November for a $25,000 grand prize.
The top 4 performers from North Colina will be selected as the North Carolina team for Battlegrounds. The second and third days of the event (May 24, May 26) will be the start of the Battlegrounds, as the cities compete against each other in 1v1s and 3v3s. The doors open at 9 am EST on both of those days.
The final day will be May 27, and doors will open at 2 PM EST.
Tickets are available for purchase for May 24, May 26, and May 27. The PPV is for May 23.
Predict Every Matchup with Kalshi
These matchups aren’t so much about the stats. They’re about the storylines. These are high-stakes battles that will not only shape the future of streetball but will also have long-lasting impacts on the careers of everyone involved. Raw emotion, intensity, passion, and energy will be running through the gym in Raleigh on May 23!
CLICK HERE to Learn How to Make Matchups Predictions with Kalshi, and you can also refer a friend using the event’s PROMO CODE BIL!
Ballislife Event Information: Get Your Tickets!
Can’t attend in person or live outside of the Hoop State? No problem! Ballislife is offering online pay-per-view (PPV) access, allowing hoops fans to view and purchase events streamed on Ballislife’s main YouTube channel.
The members-only PPV stream is $19.99 if you sign up and pay on your internet browser/computer. If you sign up on your phone through the app, Google & Apple will add an additional $5.
Proving Grounds – How to Watch:
>Step 1: Click the “Join” button on the Ballislife OR OTD YouTube page.
>Step 2: Select and Purchase “PPV Membership.”
>Step 3: You’re all set— enjoy the show!
If you’re attending in person, you can purchase tickets here!
Event Details!
Event Date: Saturday, May 23, 2026
Event Commissioner: Devin Williams (Aka Devinthelab)
Event Location: Separation Team Training, 3315 Anvil Place, Raleigh, NC 27603
Event Time: 1:10 p.m. to 11 p.m. (Doors open at 12:30 PM EST)
In-person General Admission: $28.52 (Subject to Availability)
VIP Courtside: SOLD OUT!
1v1 Event Rules
Each game is played to 30 points, scored through 2-pointers and 3-pointers. Expect physicality so that players will get plenty of trips to the charity stripe. Speaking of that, if a player gets fouled while shooting, they get one free throw. If the free throw is missed, possession goes to the other player. Possessions end on a shot attempt (make or miss), turnover, free throw, attempt, or jump ball, which results in a change of possession.
Halftime occurs when 15 points are reached, and each player gets two time-outs. The first player to reach 30 points wins.
Thirty points can come quickly, or it can become a battle of attrition! With a four-dribble limit, every move counts, and even slight mistakes can cost the game!
Now that you’ve got the basic rundown of the event and how to sign up for it, let’s dive a little bit more into some of these matchups and check out where the Kalshi lines currently stand.
Proving Grounds Matchup Previews and Storylines
Tag Team 1 v. 1: Rob Colon and Jomaru vs. Bijan and SK
The 1 v. 1 scene definitely has some parallels with professional wrestling, starting with the trash talk that goes into selling a matchup to the fans. Ballislife is taking that a step further with the main event on Saturday, as we’ve put Rob Colon and Jomaru up against Bijan and SK in a tag team 1 v. 1 matchup that will look like something straight out of SummerSlam. The rules are pretty standard; teammates can tag each other in whenever they please, and we’re still going to 30, but it will be interesting to see how four of the finest 1 v. 1 players on the scene handle this unique twist.
Rob, of course, is one of the most prolific names in the entire 1 v. 1 space, with wins over Scar, Uncle Skoob, and Zae over the course of the last three years. On the other side, Bijan is one of the hottest players in the space right now on a 6-game 1 v. 1 win streak, and SK is looking to make another big statement after nearly defeating Nas at Ballislife’s Battlegrounds in Toronto.
Predict the outcome on Kalshi
- Rob and Jomaru (51%)
- Bijan and SK (49%)
Nasir Core vs. Justin Wright
For all the love that Nas has gotten during his incredible 34-game win streak, he’s also seen plenty of haters try to discredit his run. That was especially true after his dominant performance over Gerald Green in Houston last month, after which several NBA players came out of the woodwork to try and explain away Green’s failures without giving Nas his proper credit. Nas certainly wants to face legitimate talent, as evidenced by his callout of former NBA star Austin Rivers, but the only guys of that ilk that have been willing to face him so far have been older players who were more interested in collecting a paycheck than proving their status.
Justin Wright hasn’t made it to the league (yet), but he was among the elite mid-major scoring threats in the country this past season at UNC-Asheville. As a graduate senior, Wright started all 32 games for the Bulldogs and ranked second on the team with 17.1 points per game. Not only did Wright get it done on the offensive end, but he was also one of the team’s peskiest defenders and led the unit with 1.2 steals per game. If Nas continues his win streak against a player as young and promising as Justin Wright on Saturday, the criticism about the competition he faces outside the scene is going to quiet down quite a bit.
Predict the outcome on Kalshi
- Nasir Core (65%)
- Justin Wright (35%)
Ballislife x Kalshi
Ballislife is proud to announce its Proving Grounds partnership with Kalshi, a prediction market platform dedicated to trading on the outcome of future events. Ballislife is offering secure ways to trade on 1v1 matchups. Available in nearly every state, payouts are guaranteed, and you can even trade the game live. While you can predict matchup outcomes, Kalshi additionally offers trading on culture, climate, economics, and more.
Head to the App Store or sign up at www.Kalshi.com. Once you sign up using the promo code BIL, new members will receive $10 if they trade $10. From there, deposit funds into your account, and you’re ready to go!
If you’re interested in putting money down on each matchup, click HERE.
How to Trade on Kalshi
Not sure how to predict on Kalshi? We will walk you through it. Let’s take Nas vs. Justin Wright, for example. Similar to a moneyline, you buy a position on who will win. With Kalshi, you are peer-to-peer trading, not against the house. Nas currently has a 65% chance to beat Wright. Think of it as the stock market, but the stock is the outcome of the matchup.
Will Nasir Core win? If you predict this will be the outcome, you can buy in dollars and purchase shares at $.65. If you buy 20 shares, the payout would be $20 ($1 per share). There’s also a limit order, where you can set both number shares and max price, as well as an order book, where you can see bids and asks at different prices. If you think Nas won’t win, purchasing 20 shares would pay out $20 if he loses.
As the price increases, you can sell and make a profit. Conversely, if it drops, you can sell to prevent a loss. If you’re waiting for the entire matchup, projected payouts are five minutes after closing.
This market will close and expire after a winner is declared. Otherwise, it closes by June 6, 2026, at 8:40 p.m. EDT.
Reese vs. Scar
Scar is someone who has definitely had some ups and downs in the 1 v. 1 scene, but it’s safe to say his current form is the best we’ve seen him in yet. He’s won six of his last seven matchups on record, including a 31-11 drubbing of Ryan “Rilla” Parilla at Ballislife x OffTheDribble’s Judgement Day PPV in San Francisco in March and a 30-18 win over Hezi God at All-Star Weekend in February.
Reese is a former DII standout at Barton University (NC), spending his last two seasons with the Bulldogs after stints at Brunswick Community College (NC) and Ferris State (MI). Reese had his most successful season as a graduate senior in 2023-24, posting 15.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.
Predict the outcome on Kalshi
Uncle Skoob vs Darien “DPitts” Pitts
There’s no question that Uncle Skoob is one of the cornerstone talents in the 1 v. 1 scene, having beaten premier names like Bijan, Frank Nitty, Nesco, and Lamar “LP” Peters. However, the last few months have presented some adversity for “The Black Ghost” after he blew a 16-6 lead to Nasir Core in an instant classic at Judgement Day, before facing another setback against former NBA player Jonathan Simmons at an event for The Scene League last month.
If you were expecting Skoob’s matchup at Proving Grounds to be a tuneup, well… think again. He’s tasked with taking down another former pro in Damier “DPitts” Pitts, a Charlotte native who was a standout point guard at Marshall from 2008-2012 before embarking on a decade-plus long career playing overseas for clubs across Europe. Pitts was an Icelandic League All-Star in 2013, a Latvian League All-Star in 2017, and last played for KK Zagreb in Croatia in 2024.
Predict the outcome on Kalshi
- Uncle Skoob (51%)
- DPitts (49%)
Lamar “LP” Peters vs. JT Terrell
We last saw Lamar “LP” Peters fall short in a hard-fought loss to Zae at Judgement Day, but before that game he’d won nine of his previous 10 contests on record with wins over Hezi God, Jahvon Quinerly, and Bruce. It’s no secret that LP’s other nickname is “Parking Lot” Peters because of his ability to make shots from anywhere on the floor, and as the smaller player in this matchup, he’ll likely be unleashing that deep ball even more than usual.
His opponent, JT Terrell, is someone most Ballislife fans will certainly remember as a mixtape legend back in the day at West Charlotte High School and the AAU circuit in the late 2000s. A decade-plus removed from a solid collegiate career, Terrell is looking to make a statement in the 1 v. 1 scene by taking down one of the most prominent names in the space. He’s always been known as a dynamic scorer who has no trouble getting to his spot and getting his shot off, whether that’s from deep, mid-range, or at the tin.
Predict the outcome on Kalshi
- Lamar “LP” Peters (52%)
- JT Terrell (48%)
FOMBY vs. Darius “DJo” Johnson-Odom
It’s hard to think of many players in the 1 v. 1 scene who are ascending as rapidly as FOMBY is at the moment, as the 6’1 guard is currently riding a five-game win streak dating back to February. However, FOMBY’s last loss did happen to come in his most recent appearance at a Ballislife 1 v. 1 event, a closely contested 30-28 shortcoming against Bijan at All-Star Weekend.
FOMBY’s opponent, DJo, is one of the more intriguing emerging names in the 1 v.1 space at the moment. Early 2010s college hoops fans would probably know him better as Darius Johnson-Odom, the former Marquette star who was named first-team All-Big East in 2012. Johnson-Odom still plays professionally in Mexico after a long career spanning stints in the NBA, Europe, and Asia.
Predict the outcome on Kalshi
2 v. 2: Zae and Bruce vs. Tevin Mack and Chris Martin
Aside from Nas, you won’t find a hotter name in the 1 v. 1 space than Zae at the moment. On Saturday, however, Zae is set to team up with Bruce to take on current pros Tevin Mack (Greece) and Chris Martin (G League). As a pair, Zae and Bruce have combined to win 12 of their last 13 respective 1 v. 1 matchups and have a complementary skill set that can pose problems for their opponents.
On the other hand, Tevin Mack was a legit standout during his time in college, impressing across stints at Texas, Alabama, and Clemson. Since his collegiate days came to a close at the top of the decade, Mack has led a prolific career in Europe that even saw him be named as the Polish SuperCup MVP during his team’s victorious run through the tournament. Chris Martin was a star at Division II Clark Atlanta University and is currently signed to the Long Island Nets.
Predict the outcome on Kalshi
- Zae and Bruce (52%)
- Tevin Mack and Chris Martin (48%)
Left Hand Dom vs. Crime
Left Hand Dom’s last appearance on a Ballislife PPV didn’t go the way he wanted it to, as he suffered a 31-11 loss to Malik Ellison at Judgement Day in the highly anticipated matchup between the two premier small guards in the space. Dom recovered just fine with a 32-14 win over Showout during a Hitman Holla PPV last month, but he’ll need a statement performance on Saturday to prove he’s really back.
It certainly won’t be an easy task against Crime, who’s arguably Raleigh’s most prolific 1 v. 1 talent and someone who’s absolutely liable to make himself a national star in this setting. Crime’s appearance on his hometown card comes by popular demand, and his ability to score at all three levels makes him an intriguing matchup for Dom.
Predict the outcome on Kalshi
- Left Hand Dom (55%)
- Crime (45%)
Sim vs Patt
Sim recently made waves with his instant classic 32-29 win over Scar at Battlegrounds in Toronto last month, and now he’s leading off the Proving Grounds card this Saturday as a substantial favorite over Patt. Aside from the fact that Sim is coming off a career-defining victory, he’s also favored so heavily due to the fact that Patt has lost four of his last five 1 v. 1s to 30 on record and hasn’t impressed otherwise.
