Following a successful hosting of the Rawle Toney 3X3 Classic on February 19 – 20 at the Burnham Basketball Court in Georgetown, a decision was made to take the one-of-a-kind event to Linden.
Organiser, Sports Journalist, Rawle Toney, via a press release, announced the tournament will be held on April 23 at the residence of National Award-winning promoter and Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Kashif Muhammad, in Richmond Hill.
With Linden celebrating 52 years as a Town, the tournament will mark the start of the week-long series of events to commemorate the occasion.
According to Toney, eight teams will participate in the first 3X3 tournament in Linden in well over a decade.
Each team will receive $25,000 as an appreciation for participating, as well uniforms. The winning team will go home with $100,000, second place $50,000 and third place $30,000.
Toney pointed out that the idea is to also take the unique event, which fuses entertainment with basketball, to Linden as a means of helping to resuscitate the game in the community.
“Nothing is being done in Linden with regards to organised sports, let alone basketball. As it relates to basketball specifically, nothing has been played months before the pandemic in 2020. So we’re heading to almost three years of inactivity. I hope that this will spark some interest to have basketball playing again in Linden,” Toney said.
“At the tournament in February, I had a few teams from Linden, while some players from Linden made up teams in Georgetown. Two teams from Linden played in the finals. So there’s certainly a buzz for basketball still in Linden,” he said.
With the event also forming part of Linden’s celebration of 52 years since becoming a Town, Toney said “on the entertainment side, most of Guyana’s top DJs and a few surprise local and Regional artistes will be performing.
“So it’s not just basketball, but a party. Linden is known for sports and entertainment so it is only right that my event brings the two together. 3X3 basketball is actually where sports meets entertainment, where the music never stops,” he declared.
As relates to the choice of venue, it was stated that “for years, the basketball court in Richmond Hill has been the best facility in Linden. Sadly, as it stands, it is the only facility that is pristine in shape to host a premium basketball event. But also, the ambience at Kashif’s residence is ideal for what the 3X3 in Linden will be.”
The tournament will officially be launched next week, where sponsors and other details will be announced.
