This past weekend saw the Yorkshire Basketball fraternity benefit from a FIBA x Basketball England initiative that brought U13 players from around Yorkshire together under the 3x3 banner at LBU Arena in Leeds.
As hosts of this inaugural 3x3 festival, City Of Leeds Basketball facilitated a fantastic day of competition, where young people from around the region were treated to their first experience of the 3x3 format. The atmosphere of the event reflected the investment from all parties, with young people the beneficiaries of 6 hours of game play, an upbeat basketball vibe and a well-designed competitive format, which saw teams get no less than 14 games across the day.
The Male winners were the Bradford Dragons while the York Eagles secured the Female crown.
The feedback from the floor, the parents and the prospective club representatives was a resounding "yes let's do this again!"
COLBC Director Matt Newby was take aback by the response and appetite of our region for the 3x3 format:
“Having been part of the inaugural 3x3 Championships in Greece in 2012, in which this format was launched in Athens, it is pleasing to see that it transcends the multiple levels of our game. The young people of the Yorkshire region, who are essentially stepping into the sport at U13s, left the gym today further enthused by the sport and enamoured with this format of the game. The great thing about 3x3 is the pace at which it is played, the ownership it gives the players, and the opportunities it gives an individual to develop their game. We would like to thank GB Basketball, Basketball England and the FIBA Youth Development Fund for their contribution to this event, and as we have now experienced the buzz of this event, we look forward to hosting more events for all age-groups in the future."
Basketball England's 3x3 Development Manager, Meehra Gorasia was excited at the start that 3x3 had made this weekend in Leeds:
"FIBA's Youth Development Fund aims to increase participation of boys and girls in basketball, increase the popularity of the sport, attract media attention and ensure that basketball is the number one sport among youngsters. It's been a pleasure partnering with City of Leeds Basketball Club to deliver 3x3 to U13 Boys and Girls in Yorkshire as part of FIBA's Youth Development Fund - and it's been awesome to see and hear about the success of their event. My thanks go to Matt and his team at City of Leeds Basketball Club, and we look forward to supporting them and other 3x3 event organisers in hosting future 3x3 events."
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