Basketball Tour begins

Three by three games; it’s a popular form of basketball but you’ll mostly find it played in backyards. But the perception of this variation of basketball is changing internationally and the Belize Basketball Federation is moving forward with it. The B.B.F. has partnered with Bowen and Bowen’s Sprite and Belikin divisions to hold a National Three by Three tournament in the summer break. At a press conference today, B.B.F. President Paul Thompson explained how the games will run while David Craig, representing Sprite, spoke about the sponsorship of the event.

Paul Thompson, President, Belize Basketball Federation

Paul Thompson

“3X3 Basketball is a new category of basketball that has been aggressively promoted by our affiliate body, FIBA and will become an official sport in the 2016 or 2020 Olympics. The 3X3 game is a variation of basketball where two teams, each consisting of three players, play on a half court. The B.B.F. is partnering with Sprite in the launch of the U-18 category and with Belikin Beer for the launch of the men’s category. The Sprite/Belikin National 3X3 Basketball Tour will be held in each town across the country on streets, parking lots or basketball courts during the months of July and August of 2012. The district basketball associations will coordinate tournaments in each district. Teams consisting of four players and a coach can participate. FIBA basic 3X3 rules will apply. Winners from each district will play in a finals in Belize City. A slam dunk contest will also be held in each district as part of the tour. As part of the sponsorship, Sprite and Belikin Beer are providing support for the purchase of mobile basketball systems that will be transported to each district for the games.”

David Craig

David Craig, Sales/Marketing Mgr., Non-Alcoholic Division, Bowen & Bowen

“The value of the sponsorship is about thirty-five thousand dollars and it involves things like coordination, mobilization, training, refereeing, administration. So Paul has put together a fantastic budget and we actually did not touch anything for that budget, we just accepted it as is.  If you noticed, I think last year they had a three by three as a part of the NBA all star week and it was also sponsored by sprite. Sprite sponsors the slam dunk contest for the NBA all star week as well so sprite has always been a big part of sponsorships for basketball and we’re happy to be here.”

Belikin’s David Vasquez says they readily supported the three by three tournament because it provides opportunities for both youth and senior players. And according to Thompson, those opportunities include a chance to play internationally.

Paul Thompson

“The winning team in the men’s category will automatically qualify to participate in the FIBA 3X3 World Tour that will be held in New York on August eighteenth to nineteenth of this year. The top two teams from this tour will advance to the World Tour Finals in Miami in September this year as well. In the U-18 Category, Belize was selected by FIBA to participate in the FIBA 3X3 World Championships to be held in Seville Spain from September twenty-seventh to the thirtieth this year as well. For this category, a national 3X3 team will be selected. The B.B.F. has to organize 3X3 basketball tournaments in each category in Belize.”

David Vasquez

David Vasquez, Sales/Marketing Mgr., Belize Brewing Co., Bowen & Bowen

“The tournament that will be held in New York is going to be a regional tournament and there are other regional tournaments being held in respective areas. There’s one in Russia, there’s one in San Paulo and one Turkey. So the one in New York will be a regional one probably for this hemisphere and so the other teams that will be participating globally will have regional tournaments set up for themselves elsewhere as well. Basketball is one of the big sports in Belize and for Sprite it’s about promoting sports for the youths and ourselves, it’s about giving the senior players an opportunity to have more access to play sports. One of the things is there’s always a discussion about the current leagues and opportunities for people to play. This gives everyone an opportunity to play without any bias.”

Registration forms will be available at Bowen and Bowen Offices and District Basketball Associations. Bowen and Bowen is also planning to refurbish basketball courts in various neighborhoods.