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Street basketball tournament returns to Timmins

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Basketball has returned to the streets of Timmins, with the ‘Blacktop 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament’ taking over part of the city’s downtown Saturday.

Back for the first time since pre-pandemic, dozens of players from around the region came together to compete for prizes and bragging rights.

Adam Presso, the event's organizer, said with the city's only outdoor basketball event returning for its 11th year, after two years away, he wanted to invite more ballers of all skill levels to compete.

"We have 28 teams this year, so it’s our biggest one yet and it’s just been a lot of fun,” said Presso, adding that more age groups were invited this year.

“We have age 10 to 12 division ... this is the youngest age division we’ve had yet. It’s nice to see the young people coming out.”

Teams of three put their skills and teamwork to the test, with many players appreciating being able to take on a variety of competitors outside a traditional indoor basketball court.

“It’s a different environment than we’re used to, especially in the off-season," said one player, fresh off a match with her fellow teammates.

"It gives us an opportunity to still work on our skills and work on our teamwork.”

There were over 80 players grouped in teams of three - each with a fierce or funny Team names, like the ‘High Flyers,’ the ‘Low Expectations’ or the ‘Blue Balls.’

Though some of the more than 80 basketball players felt they could have had better performances, Passo said the point is to have fun, improve your skills and come back next year to try again.

Some players just appreciated the social aspect of the event.

"With the two years that we had, it's fun to get out and see people," said one player, with his cousins, dubbing their team the ‘Blue Balls.’

Passo said he wants to keep growing the event and encourage more young people to develop their basketball skills and potentially follow in the footsteps of some of their favourite professional athletes.

"You kind of see the kids develop as the years go on," Passo said.

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