BASKETBALL Association of Chinese
Americans 5th Annual Basketball Tournament and Three-Point Shooting
Contest Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. Pauley Pavillion
By Diamond Leung
Daily Bruin Contributor
It’s going to be an interesting game if the Old Fogies
take on the Grumpy Old Men for the championship. Then again,
don’t count out the Jordan Wannabes, Big Pimpin’ and
the Soy Sauce Burritos.
These are the names of just a few of the teams that will
participate in the 5th Annual ACA Live Basketball Tournament,
hosted by the UCLA Association of Chinese Americans Saturday and
Sunday at Pauley Pavilion.
“The quality of play is quite competitive,” said ACA
Co-Athletic Director Kenny Hong. “Everyone wants to win and
they’re serious basketball players, but they’re
definitely out there for fun.”
The tournament field consists of teams from all over Southern
California and one team from as far as Sacramento. Sixteen teams in
the Majors Division and seven teams in the Minors Division will
compete in divisions that are based on talent level. The 5-on-5
tournament will have professional referees.
The teams will vie for the right to be called tournament
champions and for cash prizes, but the main goal is to raise money
for the Asian community.
“One of our goals is promoting the bi-culturality of
Chinese Americans,” Hong said. “We need to help out the
Asian and Chinese community with our event.”
What started out as an annual recreational event for the ACA is
now for the first time a charity event.
A portion of the proceeds will go to the Chinatown Service
Center in Los Angeles, a nonprofit organization that provides
programs and services for the Asian community. The organization has
been serving Asian Americans, immigrants and low-income families in
Los Angeles County since 1971.
“CSC will use the funds to support it’s programs,
namely Youth Development Programs where we help youth with
academics, counseling, literacy and health education,” said
CSC Director of Development May Ma.
The event will also feature a three-point shooting contest in
each division. Contestants will have one minute to make shots from
anywhere beyond the arc.
The championship teams, the tournament MVP, and the three-point
shooting champions will be presented with awards.
It will be a weekend of competitive hoops for a good cause. And
it could get interesting. With the Soy Sauce Burritos hungry for
the title, anything can happen.