hoopitup

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SoCalHoops Tournament News

3-On-3 Hoop-It-Up This Weekend
At Warner Center, Woodland Hills--(March 24, 1999)

Ok, so there's no Rockfish Spring League this weekend because it's an NCAA "non-evaluation" i.e., quite-period. No Double Pump either. No more UCLA womens team games either since they lost on Monday night. Sure there's still the Lakers or the Clippers, and there are even some games going on among the younger players at 4-D, and we also know there are games in Slam-N-Jam at Compton High and some other games going on at Lynwood High over the weekend. And Sunday also marks the start of the ARC Spring League for high school players at North Hollywood High.

But nothing really matches the sheer numbers of players who participate annually in the 3-on-3 Hoop-It-Up competition. And on Saturday and Sunday, March 27 and 28 at Warner Center Business Park, the Los Angeles edition of the annual NBA-sponsored competition will take place. The Warner Center Business Park is located at the Litton Guidance & Control Center parking lot, located at the interstecton of Burbank Blvd. and Canoga Ave. in Warner Center.

The rules of the competition are a bit different than you'll see at any other tournament, but every kid, no matter how old or how young, knows this game: Half-court play. Teams of 3 players each, playing to 16 points, with each basket inside the three-point arc counting for one point; players have to clear the ball (i.e., take the ball back beyond the three point line) every time there's a change of possession; a three-point basket counts for two points in the game, and the ball has to be "checked" every time it's brought in from out of bounds. After a made basket, the ball goes to the opposing team. No shot clock, but also no stalling, and there's an "unwritten 30 second shot-clock" in effect which can be enforced by the referees. Games last a maximum of 30 minutes unless there's a tie. Fouls are called, sometimes (i.e., in some divisions there will be refs, in others the players are on their own, and the team captains or court monitors are responsible for enforcing the calls). No body fouls out, but you can be ejected for continual flagrant fouls or misconduct.

Teams will be seeded in divisions based on age, height, ability and other pretty nebulous but seemingly "fair" criteria in order to insure that the competition is fairly equal. Most of the brackets will be 16 team brackets. The Championship games will be on Sunday.

This competition attracts players of all ages and all abilities, from younger players up to older men's divisions. And the best competition will be found in the "Top Gun" division. We'll have to see who shows up for that one. If you're anywhere near the San Fernando Valley this weekend, you'll want to check it out.

The easiest way to get there from most locations is to take the 101 Ventura Freeway to the Topanga Canyon off ramp and head north on Topanga to Burbank Blvd, turn right on Burbank and proceed to Canoga where you'll see the action on your right at the intersection of Burbank and Canoga.

See you there.