NANAIMO — Youth basketball teams from the Island and Mainland will take to the floor at four different gymnasiums for a huge two-day tournament on June 10 and 11.
Organizer Matt Kuzminski said 61 teams will be on display at VIU, John Barsby Secondary, Dover Bay Secondary and Nanaimo Christian School.
“We’ll have 90 games happening so it’s going to be an exciting time for basketball all the way from U10 to U17 boys and three girls divisions with U13, U15 and U17.”
The host Island Swish basketball club program will have teams in every division with Victoria, Campbell River, Cowichan, Port Alberni and Comox represented as well.
“We’re going to be seeing 600 plus athletes in our community. With their families, we’re looking at well over a thousand people coming through to participate and enjoy the tournament. While they’re here they’ll be checking out Nanaimo and the local restaurants and everything we have to offer.”
Kuzminski is expecting the local athletes to perform very well.
“We’re really excited how our Swish teams are doing. Now we’re more than four years into this and our program is growing a lot and our teams are getting a lot better. We’re seeing them win some tournaments around the Island and the mainland.”
All the divisions will have an eight-team format with three wins needed to win the tournament.
The champions will receive medals and there will also be player of the game prizes throughout the event.
Kuzminski notes programs like Swish are gaining in popularity all over Vancouver Island.
“Club basketball is really growing. Other teams that are coming are Swish model club and rep basketball-type programs. The Island clubs go to a lot of the same tournaments and we make sure to fill each other’s tournaments.”
The current season of Swish basketball has been going since April with at least two practices a week.
The Summer Startup Tournament will be the sixth one of the current session for the Nanaimo teams with one more to go before the season’s end.
Information for participants and fans is available online at islandswish.com and on the Island Swish pages on Instagram and Facebook.
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