3-on-3 Basketball Tournament to conclude at Late Night in the Phog
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Have you ever had the dream of playing basketball in front of a packed Allen Fieldhouse? For 12 University of Kansas students that vision will be a reality when they play in the finals of the inaugural 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, Oct. 1, at Late Night in the Phog.
KU head men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced the 3-on-3 Tournament at Traditions Night (Aug. 20), an annual event welcoming KU incoming freshmen and newcomers, held at Memorial Stadium on the KU campus. The tourney will be held the week leading up to Late Night with women’s and men’s divisions. Only current KU students are eligible to participate with the competition starting the week of Late Night at the Ambler Student Recreation Center on the KU campus. The championship games for each division will be played in Allen Fieldhouse prior to the start of Late Night in the Phog and Self will present trophies to the winners during Late Night.
“We are moving it (Late Night) to a Saturday and have it when all the students are here because we’ve had it on Fall Break so many years,” Self said. “Hopefully, we’ll get about 1,000 teams to play 3-on-3 and all the money will go to Coaches vs. Cancer. The winners will perform at Late Night, both men and women. It’s a good time. If you haven’t experienced it yet, you need to come. Because when you come, you’ll want to come back. I think it will be jumping this year.”
KU head football coach David Beaty, head volleyball coach Ray Bechard and Self were the Kansas Athletics speakers at Traditions Night. All three discussed the importance of supporting their fellow students who compete in KU’s 18 varsity sports.
“The magic in Allen Fieldhouse is you,” Beaty said referring to the student body. “The players are unbelievable and the coaches are great, but you are the magic and that is exactly what makes Memorial Stadium great. It’s you. You’re the one that makes a difference. You’re the one that makes them (student-athletes) want to come here. The great ones come here because of you. Follow the leaders of the people in front of you because they have done it really, really well.”
“2016 can be a great year for us but we have to remember how we got to this point,” said Bechard whose team advanced to KU’s first-ever volleyball Final Four last season. “It’s a lot of hard work. We just got through our two-a-day practices. They worked very, very hard and that is what Kansas is all about.”
After addressing the crowd, Self informed reporters that for the second-straight year two lucky fans, one female and one male, will have the opportunity to win $10,000 by making a half-court shot at Late Night. Last year was the first year of the half-court opportunity and KU Director of Basketball Operations Brennan Bechard made the shot for a male fan who happened to be a KU student.
The entry fee for the 3-on-3 Tournament is $25 per team and includes a 3-on-3 T-shirt plus a reserved seat at Late Night for each team member. Proceeds from the 3-on-3 Tournament will go to Coaches vs. Cancer. The event is presented by the Williams Fund U, KU Recreation Services, the KU Student Alumni Association and KU Student Union Activities. Students can register at www.kuathletics.com/3on3.
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