Rucker Park located in New York City, has always been considered
the home of streetball a place where players like Wilt, Kareem and
Erving, Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond, Pee Wee Kirkland, The Goat, Marbury,
Brand, Artest and Tinsley honed their skills.
On Saturday, August 19th, Family First Sports Park will turn its traditional
3-on-3 basketball tournament into a Rucker Park-like event by moving it from
its traditional indoor setting to 8 outdoor asphalt basketball courts
adopting an old school theme and paying tribute to the fast paced action
and showmanship of the legendary game of streetball.
The tournament, officially sponsored by
WJET-TV24 will begin on Saturday at 8:30 am and run
through 6 pm. Registration is from 8:00-8:30am on the outdoor courts.
It\'s a double elimination tournament, so each team is
guaranteed two games. Even with a loss, you can still win your bracket.
Divisions include both adult and youth age groups with a registration
deadline of Wednesday Evening (August 16th) at 6 p.m. Teams can register up
to four players and get a free t-shirt included in the team registration
fee. The Hoops Classic is part of the Northwest PA Regional 3 on 3
Championship in an exclusive arrangement, the first and second place teams
in each division from the Franklin, Titusville and Meadville YMCA 3-on-3
Tournaments have automatically qualified for the Hoops Classic streetball
tournament.
In addition to live music and a streetball theme, there will be a
festival-like atmosphere with a number of vendors and sponsors attending the
event. Entrance is free to the general public, who can view most of the
games from the outdoor bleachers adjacent to the courts. More than 100 teams
are expected to register for the event, but many will be turned away after
the deadline this Wednesday at 6 pm when the final scheduling begins.