This is by far my favorite time of year when the hopes and dreams come to a test. You can pretty much just disregard what a team has done all season, for if you make it to March Madness and you get red-hot with a barrage of successful 3 pointers, and tight defense - the final four could be a reality. I am talking college basketball of course. The showcase of intense drama when athletes are driven by pride and for the ultimate prize - to be a National Champion. I can relate more to these games than I can with the methodical play that the pros bring. Everything is exciting, from the magical Sunday when we tune in to see what bracket the NCAA selection committee sends our favorite team to/ and what seed we will be - basically our fate in their hands. Every year there is a cinderella team that becomes heroes overnight - if just for a couple of days.

Check this out, Bismarck Parks and Recreation District (BPRD) along with North Dakota Amateur Basketball, Inc (NDABI) will host the ND State Amateur Basketball Tournament, the state’s largest amateur basketball event - beginning this Friday and will last throughout the weekend. 106 teams have registered for the tournament. The division breakdown of teams for 2021 is as follows:

Women I: 5 Old Pro: 4 Class B: 6

Women II: 7 Commercial I: 3 Commercial II: 34

Class A: 8 Old Pro 50+: 2 Recreation: 39

The Tournament starts Friday at 4:30 pm. A total of 163 games will be played on 10 courts in three locations throughout Bismarck. Games are being held at Legacy, Bismarck, and Century High Schools. Approximately 175 staff, volunteers, and officials will be working to keep the tournament on task. Spectators are welcome - there is a mask-wearing policy. Brandon Wilkens Tournament Director who played for the University of Jamestown has played in this tournament off and on for years - he has lived the excitement of amateur basketball - stepping on the court for the pursuit of playing with the best of what North Dakota brings, and for pride. That's the beauty of what basketball SHOULD be.

The schedule and the results can be found on the BPRD website, www.bisparks.org. Simply click on the North Dakota State Amateur Basketball Tournament banner on the front page.


 

 

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