Yipirinya School is home to Alice Springs' newest 3X3 basketball facility, with Champions League Basketball unveiling the town's first FIBA3X3 spec basketball court.
The new free-for-use facility will be open to both residents of Alice Springs and the wider community, with the court to also host weekly events as well as national and international competitions.
The new facility will bring national 3X3 events to Alice Springs and form part of the Champions League Basketball 3X3 Aussie Summer Series, allowing local players to travel and play in Champions League Basketball events held all over the country.
Dr Gavin Morris, Principal of Yipirinya School, which has a 100 percent Indigenous student body, said he was excited to see another sport introduced to the region.
"Alice Springs, in fact right through Central Australia, has a huge basketball community, so it comes with a lot of excitement and joy that Yipirinya School will house the first official FIBA3X3 specified arena for the region, exclusively for community and professional use," Dr Morris said.
Yipirinya School has collaborated with both Champions League Basketball, who have run more than 250 FIBA3X3 events across Australia as well as high-end court manufacturer Courts N Hoops for the infrastructure, to help manage the court and coordinate an exciting calendar of events.
Champions League Basketball 3X3 founder and director Yvette Williams said it meant a great deal for the organisation to partner with Yipirinya School to offer a 3X3 basketball facility to the Alice Springs community.
"This is a vision that has come to fruition for Champions League Basketball and the 3X3 landscape within Australia, to have a significant presence in central Australia and a chance for players to be part of the official FIBA3X3 pathway and to represent their town or community is very exciting," Ms Williams said.
Ms Williams said demand for 3X3 basketball in the Territory was significant following a successful events in Darwin and strong feedback from participants.
"We have had a number of successes for 3X3 in the Northern Territory already with a huge event in Darwin back in 2016 and several events since on our 3X3 half court at the Darwin Waterfront, along with delivering many 3X3 basketball programs out in communities and in schools," she said.
"The feedback from schools, players and families has cemented a real demand for another pathway and discipline of basketball in the region that is fun and exciting and can provide opportunity to all, on the local, national and international level."
With the completion of stage one, stage two of the project is already underway which includes a strength and conditioning gym and athlete accommodation to cater for elite teams and personnel travelling to the area.
