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.
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