Never mind hoop and harm. This was about hoop and help.
Not to say there weren't scoring plays where the shooter drew a foul during Saturday's P.G. Summer Hoops Classic three-on-three high school basketball tournament. But the event wasn't just about providing players a platform on which to showcase their skills - it was a chance to raise money and awareness for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of B.C. & Yukon.
The third annual tournament, held at Duchess Park secondary school, was "a huge success," said organizer Nav Parmar. Some eye-popping basketball was played and the Heart and Stroke Foundation will receive more than $5,000 via registration fees, online donations and day-of donations.
"We'll have a better idea in the next two to three weeks once we calculate all the registration costs, all the sponsorship cheques and then our online page," Parmar said. "We're at five grand on our online page right now."
The first P.G. Summer Hoops Classic in 2015 generated $7,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Last year, the final tally jumped to $17,005.
For anyone wishing to contribute to the cause this year, online donations can still be made at support.heartandstroke.ca. Click on My Own Fundraiser, then Donate, then Find a Team. The final step is to do a search for PG Summer Hoops Classic and click on the link that appears.
On the basketball side of the equation this year, eight senior boys teams, 10 junior boys teams and 10 junior/senior girls squads participated, which, altogether, was a new high. Winners in the senior boys division were Colburn Pearce, Soren Erricson and Will Bourque, while the junior boys champs were Ash Bourque, Ameer Dhillon, Cameron Sale and Saagar Shergill. Among the girls, Rebecca Landry, Kayla Gregory and Rachael Holmes finished at the top.
Most valuable players in each division were Pearce, Ash Bourque and Landry.
"Both parents and players were pretty blown away by the magnitude of the tournament and how entertaining it was," Parmar said. "And the players put on a show throughout the course of the day. Each and every year the players make the tournament what it is, and this year was no exception."
Parmar is also thankful to the sponsors and volunteers who helped make the latest edition of the P.G. Summer Hoops Classic a reality.
"This tournament is not possible without the continued support of the local community, and we simply cannot thank them enough for everything they have done to ensure that the P.G. Summer Hoops Classic remains a prominent tournament on an annual basis," he said. "We are so lucky and privileged to live in a community where everyone rallies together for something greater than the game of basketball."
