Our 4CITY 3 on 3 Blacktop League is back and more fun than ever! The 2023 edition of this summer program is eight weeks of Friday night open gyms (indoors) and Sunday afternoon 3-on-3 games (outdoors) from June 23rd - August 13th.
NEW THIS SEASON: both Friday and Sunday sessions will include fifteen minute "skill sharpeners" with 4CITY pro coaches to keep player skills from getting rusty over the summer.
For players looking to make more serious skill advancement over the summer, consider coupling Blacktop with one of the 4CITY skills-focused summer camps. Players who have registered for a camp by May 23rd will receive $125 off of Blacktop and qualify for early registration.
* Returning 4City families can register on Wednesday, May 24th at 9:00 am. Registration opens Friday, May 26th for the general public. Space is limited!
2023 Summer Blacktop program
Our 2023 Blacktop program will run from June 23rd - August 13th, with each age group having Friday night open gyms (indoors) and Sunday afternoon 3-on-3 games (outdoors).
The Blacktop program is intended to provide kids with "maintenance" skills training and supervised basketball games/scrimmages. It's primary developmental object is: FUN!
Additionally, we hope this program will prevent kids from starting the fall season behind where they left off last spring. Combine with our spring and fall Represent programs and/or our skills-focused summer camps to help your player build skills in the off season.
Don't worry about missing a few weeks if you are traveling. In this casual format, teams will be re-formed each week based on who attends.
The program will run for eight weeks, from Friday, June 23rd to Sunday, August 12th.
We will have eight open gyms on Fridays:
- June 23
- June 30
- July 7
- July 14
- July 21
- July 28
- August 4
- August 11
We will have eight blacktop 3 on 3 mini-tournaments on the following Sundays:
- June 25
- July 2
- July 9
- July 16
- July 23
- July 30
- August 6
- August 13
Friday night open gyms will be held at the main JLS Middle School (Palo Alto) indoor court. Sunday afternoon games will be held at the JLS outdoor courts.
We will have the following divisions:
- Boys rising 3rd/5th graders
- Boys rising 6th/7th graders
- Boys rising 8th/9th graders
- Girls Lower (roughly rising 3rd - 5th graders)
- Girls Upper (roughly rising 6th - 9th graders)
The likely times of Friday open-gyms by division (times subject to change based on demand):
- 5:00 - 6:00 pm: Girls divisions
- 6:00 - 7:00 pm: Boys 3rd/4th
- 7:00 - 8:00 pm: Boys 5th/6th
- 8:00 - 9:00 pm: Boys 7th/8th
Each division will be assigned a 90 minute time slot on Sunday afternoons. Coaches will form players into balanced teams and then play a mini 3 on 3 tournament.
Time slots will be 90 minutes long, starting no earlier than 2:30 pm and ending no later than 7:30 pm. Check back here for permanent times once they are announced (announced in early June based on demand at each age group).
- Return Family Registration (PANJB families only): Tuesday, May 23rd @ 9 am
- Friends Registration (with referral only): Wednesday, May 24th @ 9 am
- Public Registration: Friday, May 25th @ 9 am
FEES: $225*
*Fees include a 4CITY "Summer Edition" Nike jersey with optional name on the back
- Point limit. Games played to point limit (either 12, 15 or 21 based on division) by two and threes (only if 3-point line on the court).
- One pass rule. Teams must complete at least one pass per possession before shooting, after the ball is checked or has been cleared. Note: the player who clears the ball still must pass it one more time. Failure to shoot the ball without completing this pass results in a turnover.
- Clear. Ball must be cleared after every change of possession to the top of the court (not the sides) past the top of the circle or another line declared by the referee before the game. Failure to shoot the ball without clearing it first results in a turnover.
- Out of bounds. All out of bounds are checked out top. Offensive player may dribble after the check.
- Fouls. All fouls result in a check ball. Players cannot foul out but coaches may remove a player temporarily or permanently for overly rough play or excessive fouling.
- 20 minute time limit. At 18 minutes scorekeeper will call "last basket" and teams may keep playing until next point is scored.
- Quarter substitution/break. At five, ten and fifteen minutes the scorekeeper will call for subs which takes effect at the next dead ball. Coaches or players can request a one minute water break at each of these breaks, but the 20 minute clock keeps running.
- Free throw tie breaker. If games is tied after 20 minutes, players will shoot free throws in a shoot-out format until winner is determined.
Open gyms will consist of a short skills refresher lesson (first 15 minutes) followed by 5 on 5 scrimmages conducted by volunteer and/or professional coaches.
Players will be expected to follow "4C" principles during play, and will be asked to leave if they are out of control, fouling excessively, or not listening to the coaches.