It’s almost time again for Abbotsford hoopsters to take their skills outside.
The 2017 MSA Outdoor Classic returns to the basketball courts near the MSA Arena from Aug. 11 to 13, with eight teams again battling it out for local bragging rights.
Last year marked the return of the outdoor basketball tournament, which hadn’t occurred since the 1980s. Event organizer Matt Brar and a group of his friends were inspired to bring back the annual tournament after hearing stories of the previous tournaments from Brar’s father.
Teams pay a $500 registration fee, with all money raised going to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice in Abbotsford. The 2016 edition of the event raised over $3,200.
“It’s going to be a good weekend and I am really happy to be doing this again for the basketball community in Abbotsford,” Brar said.
Last year’s winners were the Private Barbershop, who defeated the OGs 60-50 to win the championship.
There will be a few changes to this year’s event, including no roster limitations. The 2016 event had rosters of six to 10 players maximum. The courts also feature brand new hoops and court improvements for 2017. Unlike last year, which featured a four-on-four format, this year it will be five aside.
A total of eight teams are participating, with the teams separated into two pools for round-robin play. Each team plays three games in the round robin, with the top four teams squaring off in a final four to determine a winner. The event is free for spectators to watch.
Those interested in participating or registering a team can do so by contacting Brar at msaoutdoorclassic@gmail.com or @msa_classic on Twitter. Team registration officially opens yesterday (Wednesday).