Basketball tournament begins on purpose-built court in heart of Liverpool city centre

Three v Three is the basketball equivalent of football's five-a-side, and more than 60 teams will be vying against each other on a purpose-built court installed on Chavasse Park. The brainchild of the Toxteth El8te CIC, the event is set to be the first-ever large-scale 3x3 basketball tournament in the region.

El8te founder Emile Coleman said: “As the city we’re synonymous with football but basketball is the second highest team participation sport in the UK. It’s huge and people just don’t realise that. One of the reasons we wanted to to do this event was to grow the sport, give it a bit more visibility and allow anyone to access it."

Toxteth El8te CIC is a Liverpool-based elite basketball programme that offers high-level provision free of charge. Founded in Toxteth in 2022, it has grown in reputation and prominence nationally since its inception. Basketball sessions at the Firefit Youth and Community Hub in Toxteth are offered free by Basketball England and supported by the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership and Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner.

Need to know: The five-day 3x3 tournament encourages participation in the burgeoning sport by showcasing some sizzling basketball skills, culminating in a grand final on Sunday afternoon. Free open coaching and mentoring sessions will also be on offer for young people to try every day at the specially-installed court.

Watch the video at the top of the page to see the full feature and find out more about the 3x3 basketball tournament at Liverpool ONE.