Basketball Fiesta bounces off on Thursday at Woodbrook Facility

BASKETBALL FIESTA is set to put on its fourth edition of its annual basketball tournament-themed “Where Culture Meets Basketball” from August 18-21 at the Woodbrook Youth Facility.

A total of 42 teams will participate over these four days. While the Fiesta was originally scheduled for July 15 to 17, there was a shift in date due to the lack of an available facility to host the Fiesta.

According to Fiesta’s director Garvin Warwick, “We are excited to get this event off and running after a two-year halt due to covid19. Clubs, coaches, players and fans alike are all extremely excited about the resumption of Basketball Fiesta. As a committee, we are also extremely excited to restart our activities after this two-year void.”

There will be action in nine categories – Under-10, U-12, U-14 Boys, U-14 Girls, U-16 Boys, U-16 Girls, U-18 Boys, U-18 Girls and U-20 Boys. The level of basketball is expected to be of very high quality, as the committee has the services of qualified referees and table officials on the days overseeing these games.

This tournament continues to lead the way for youth basketball, not only in Trinidad but the wider Caribbean which will see more than 200 aspiring basketballers between the ages of eight and 20 coming together to play. This is a model adapted from the United States which is done on a circuit basis and played in different states.

Entrance will be free to all persons and the tournament will be supported by main sponsor Republic Bank along with other sponsors MILO, Digicel and Domino's.

Action bounce starts at 8 am on Thursday, and the curtains will come down at 8 pm on Sunday with the prize-giving ceremony. The focus of Fiesta Basketball continues to be the development of youth basketball and all elements that make up the game including the development of young aspiring referees and officials in Trinidad and Tobago and the wider Caribbean.

Local teams include Spartans TT, New Chapter Academy, Royalty Basketball, Maloney Pacers Basketball and Youth Development Programme, Matthew Pierre Basketball Academy, Hoop Nation Academy, Enterprise Basketball, POS Trailblazers, Detour Shak Attack, Fatima Tigers, Elite Eagles Basketball Academy.