Hoop It Up touches down in Surf City

With the closure of the waters along Huntington Beach and the

cancellation of the Huntington Beach Surf Series, the only game in town

this weekend is the 1999 Hoop-It-Up World Tour.

No, make that several games.

Hoop-It-Up organizers have estimated that 2,400 basketball players

are scheduled to take part in the two-day competition, and also said that

they expect fan attendance to hover somewhere around the 12,000 mark.

Huntington Beach has been an annual stop for Hoop-It-Up; the

National Basketball Association’s official sanctioned 3-on-3 basketball

tour.

The tour began in 1992, and is held annually each September in

Surf City.

Hoop-It-Up has attracted more than one million players since its

inception, and since 1997, the NBA has added tours in both Canada and

Latin America.

‘The NBA is excited to continue its partnership with Hoop-It-Up,

and about coming once again to Huntington Beach,’ NBA Commissioner David

Stern said. ‘This is the world’s premier grassroots basketball

tournament, and we’re proud to support it.’

The tournament is open to all skill levels and to players ages

eight and ups. Divisions range from Top Gun (college experience or

better), to Recreational, including special divisions for Teens (17 and

under), Kids (10 and under), and players over the age of 35.

All teams participating are placed in the tournament according to

age, gender, height, and skill, to ensure a fair and competitive

experience for all involved.

In addition to the 60 street basketball courts set up throughout

the parking lots of Huntington State Beach, Hoop-It-Up also will feature

numerous special events for fans in attendance during the two-day event:

NBA 2ball, Gatorade Crunch Time (2-on-2), Foot Locker 10-ft. Slam Dunk,

Speed Stick Ultimate Shootout, Around the Discus, Southwest Airlines

Charity Stripe Challenge, Hyundai 3-Point Shootout, and the Pacific Bell

Call Your Own Shot.

Proceeds from the tournament are to benefit local charities, and

spectator admission is free.

Preliminary tournament action takes place from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

today, and semifinal and championship round play in each division is

scheduled for Sunday, and will run between 9 a.m.-3 p.m.