[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Venice Beach – The DEW 3X basketball championships crowned its 2017 Men’s and Women’s national champions last weekend at Venice Beach. A host of teams from around the country battled for the $20,000.00 grand prize.
DEW NBA 3X basketball is a partnership between the NBA and Mountain Dew. Owned by parent company PepsiCo one of its oldest sponsors, Mountain Dew and the NBA penned a multi-year agreement to develop a series 3 on 3 basketball competitions across the nation.
It began last year with tournaments in Atlanta, Miami, Dallas, Chicago Houston and Los Angeles. This year’s slightly adjusted schedule included stops in Miami, Washington, New York, Chicago, San Francisco with the championship finale held in Los Angeles again.
In each of the cities, teams are chosen via an application process and after surviving pool play are placed into the single elimination competition format. Each city’s winning teams automatically qualifies for a spot in the finals and a chance to take home the $20,000 grand prize.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”68507″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Along with a spot in the finals, the city winners also qualify for a few other really cool perks. A really big one, although short on details gives the DEW 3X NBA Champions an automatic path to compete in the Team USA 3 on 3 Basketball qualifying tournaments. With 3 on 3 Basketball scheduled to enter Olympic competition at the 2020 games. That’s a really big deal!
The 2016 NBA 3X Champions also qualified for a world tour event in Qatar and a performance at the NBA All Star Game. The recently crowned 2017 Champions will be treated to all of the same perks and probably many more additional rewards as the two-year old tournament grows in popularity.
In the Men’s competition, Team Stars & Stripes outlasted all other entrants to win the 2017 Dew NBA 3X Championship. Team Issa Buckets took the Women’s championship and picked the check for $20,000.
“I can’t believe we did it”. Said Team Issa Buckets’ Tear’a Laudermill. “This has been on the most challenging experiences in my life. We fought injuries and every imaginable adversity to get this done.”
In addition to great 3 on 3 hoops competition, fans got to see former NBA star Baron Davis and current Lakers’ stars Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle during the afternoon sessions.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”68508″ img_size=”full” add_caption=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The DEW NBA 3X is near brilliance on the part of its creators. The NBA and Mountain Dew’s collaboration has captured the urban appeal of big city street basketball, bottled it like their sports drinks and are dispensing it all over the country for the basketball thirsty fans to consume.
Two days of basketball competition on beautiful Venice Beach, one America’s most iconic courts was well worth the price of admission. Add celebrity appearances, entertainment, food, current and former NBA players dropping in to enjoy the action from time to time and you have something special.
Given the popularity of 3 on 3 basketball, the global power of the NBA and the Olympic opportunities ahead, the DEW NBA 3X tours are destined to find a permanent spot in the hierarchy of American sports.
DEW NBA 3X Tours begin in May. Information can be found at DewNBA3X.com.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][vc_column_text el_class=”small”]By Ralph Blackburn, BVN
Direct comments to gmontogmerybvn@att.net[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]