55 basketball teams travel to Bonners this weekend

More than 220 basketball players will keep the downtown streets busy on Saturday, Aug. 2, and Sunday, Aug. 3, for the first Bonners Ferry Swish 3-on-3 tournament.

It’s a number that pleases Brett Brown, president of Bonners Ferry Swish Inc.

“I think everybody sees what the benefit will be to the town,” Brown said. “It will benefit businesses, and we can take that money and generate revenue to do some good things for the community.”

The downtown streets — where 55 teams with three and four members will play — will be closed at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 1, so hoops can be set up. Ball players can check in from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday or 8 a.m. Saturday at Safeway or Jill’s Cafe. Pool play begins at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Each team will play at least three games with finalist continuing Sunday. Teams will be seeded for single-elimination play.

Games will end at 21 points; teams will play a maximum 20 minutes.

Most games will played on Main Street. Hoops also will be set up on Kootenai between Main and First streets.

The tournament will include female, male and co-ed divisions. Each team will be placed in an age bracket.

Organizers raised enough to buy hoops worth $14,000. Also purchased with sponsorships were basketballs, scoreboards, stop watches, whistles and more.

Brown, who planted the seed for the tournament, would like to see the children of Bonners Ferry benefit from the tournament.

“My passion for this town is to upgrade the park system — better playground equipment, basketball hoops and getting programs for youth,” he said.

Bonners Ferry Swish has 45 sponsors, including some committed to five years. Odom Distributing, which sells alcoholic beverages and energy drinks, gave $5,600.

Several community groups also are involved. They include Bonners Ferry Chamber, Rotary, Masons and Eagles.

Ninety percent of the players are local, with a few coming in from Libby, Mont.; Creston, British Columbia; and Spokane, Wash.

Brown believes the downtown is the perfect place for the tournament.

“I look at Bonners Ferry and our downtown set up . . . we have the perfect location for it.” he said. “The quality of the sidewalk system, the ability to close off Main Street and not affect businesses adversely. Just the scenery as a whole.”