The Mann Dental/P. G. Summer Hoops Classic three-on-three basketball tournament not only provided a day of fun for a bunch of teenaged athletes June 1 at Duchess Park Secondary School but it was a slam-dunk fundraiser.
The fifth annual event drew 159 players who played each other for bragging rights in girls, senior boys and junior boys divisions just before summer vacations began and it raised $18,000 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
"It's awesome, it's the most we've ever raised, we're pretty happy," said tournament organizer Nav Parmar, an assistant coach for the UNBC Timberwolves men's basketball team. "We raised $17,000 the second year (2016) and this year we were able to surpass that at $18,000. I'm extremely humbled."
The money will be used by the foundation to buy equipment and fund research projects.
"It's just great to see we're getting more and more sponsors every year and a record number of participant every year willing to take on the task of trying to raise as much money as we can," said Parmar. "You can see the passion within the players to want to give back. That's the most rewarding part of this entire experience, when you see the players going out every year to fund-raise on behalf of the tournament.
"This is the entire city's accomplishment. To be able to present a cheque of that magnitude is not possible without the continued support for the entire community. They've gotten behind it and they've believed in this event from Day 1 and we'll continue to work as hard as we can to make sure the put in the best event possible, but at the same time try to make an even greater impact on an annual basis within the community."
