Abyssinian wins Big Shots Atlantic Slam II, hoping for more travel

It was do or die for Abyssinian over the weekend. The two Big Shots Atlantic Slam tournaments in Myrtle Beach, S.C., were the only ones scheduled for the program during the July live period. The program, which has been sporadic in its grassroots basketball efforts the last few years, could not raise enough funds for more trips.

Perhaps that will change now.

Abyssinian went down to South Carolina, advanced to the 17U white bracket final in Slam I on Friday and won the whole thing in Slam II at Socastee HS on Sunday afternoon by beating the East Coast All-Stars in the championship game.

“The program is going through a transition,” coach Ghandhi Martin said. “We’re struggling as far as fundraising. Hopefully this will help.”

Abyssinian is made up mostly of under-the-radar players from The Bronx who might not have been given a chance on some of the elite teams. But after the Big Shots Atlantic Slam, a few of Martin’s kids have attained interest from Division I schools.

Eagle Academy’s Gerard Carty has looks from Stony Brook, St. Francis (Pa.) and Cleveland State; Wings Academy’s Steven Gomez has heard from Albany and Hofstra; and Eagle’s Jalen Chapman has Stony Brook. Mount St. Michael’s Clarence White has a number of Division II schools on his radar.

All of the above had strong performances in Myrtle Beach. Now Martin, whose son Gerrell starred at Wings and will play next year at LIU, will look toward the rest of July. The Atlantic Slam was the only event approved by Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, where the program is based. The coach is hoping that, at the very least, he can get parents together to raise money. He has the Hoop Group End of Summer Classic on July 31 as a possibility.

Even if there are no future tournaments in the cards, this championship cannot be taken away from a program that is trying to build itself back up little by little.

“It was real nice,” Martin said. “Abyssinian hasn’t won anything in awhile.”

mraimondi@nypost.com