Cherished Greenport kids basketball tournament tips off for fifth year

Lace up your sneakers, Greenport, because the fifth annual Greenport Summer Basketball Tournament is bouncing right back on July 26.

The idea for the tournament originated about seven years ago, when Candace Hall and a group of friends were reminiscing about the early 1990s in Greenport, when they’d spend their summers playing in their neighborhood basketball tournament.

The tournament, which was run by her aunt, Joanne “JoJo” Jackson, took over the Third Street court each year, which was renamed in 2014 to honor four residents who died young. Ms. Hall wanted to bring back that magic she felt as a child, but when COVID-19 hit, the plans had to take a backseat. Fast forward a year, and the inaugural tournament hit the court, bringing some of that magic back.

“Our first year was 2021, so we were still definitely heavy into COVID, but it was an outdoor event,” said Ms. Hall. “By that point, we were a little more comfortable being outside together, and we needed this. Our feeling was our community needed this joy.”

That first year saw just about 40 kids participate, with last year’s bringing in about 120, tripling in size. Add on the hundreds of spectators that come to watch the action, and the court is filled to the max and then some.

The event, which is now known as the North Fork Kid Connect basketball tournament, welcomes players from age 4 to 18 for a full-day event, taking over the court from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Teams go against each other in brightly colored T-shirts, burgers and hot dogs are grilled, a DJ brings the tunes and The North Fork Academy of Dance provides a can’t-miss halftime show. The whole compilation of fun makes it not just a basketball tournament, but a vital part of the community.

Online registration is closed, but parents can also register their children the day of the tournament. All kids participate for free, and to Ms. Hall, the purpose is to level the playing field within the Greenport community.

“Greenport is a place where there’s extreme wealth, and then there’s poverty here as well,” said Ms. Hall. “I feel strongly that basketball is a sport where it doesn’t take much to engage a bunch of kids, you really just need one basketball. I think our numbers of attendance kind of show that Greenport loves basketball for one, and also that in true Greenport form, we rally together.”

The group, NoFo Kid Connect, received nonprofit status last year, which Ms. Hall thinks will help the grassroots organization with fundraising. The group operates on the donations it gets from the community, which helps pay for the nearly $2,500 cost of the tournament each year. Another tournament was held at Greenport High School in February, where money was raised for this month’s tournament as well. People can donate online to help pay for future events, too.

Ms. Hall, who is also the village clerk, has deep roots in Greenport, with her family going back seven generations. She is the granddaughter of local figure Delores Bertha Swann Shelby, who was born in the village in 1930. Ms. Hall hopes the basketball tournament can continue to grow and become one of the roots in the community.

“Our community really shows up and shows out for us,” she said. “We’re very much a grassroots organization, and I think it’s such a reflection of the community that we live in. It truly is a day for everyone to enjoy.”