Second Annual Hoops 4 Hope “East End 3’s” 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament Returns to East Hampton This Weekend

Hoops 4 Hope is set to host its second annual H4H “East End 3’s” 3-on-3 basketball tournament this Saturday, August 12, at Sportime Amagansett, where opening tipoffs are expected to be at noon.

Hoops 4 Hope is a nonprofit organization created by a pair of longtime East Hampton residents, Anthony Allison and Mark Crandall, that, since 1995, has been working in underserved communities in Cape Town, South Africa, and Harare, Zimbabwe, providing young people there with the fundamentals and opportunities necessary to be happy, healthy and safe both emotionally and physically. The H4H model and curriculum are based around the seven tools of an ubuntu champion, which are focus, sense of humor, self-awareness, responsibility, integrity, self-esteem and teamwork.

To compete in this weekend’s tournament, teams must have a minimum of three players and a maximum of five. There will be a men’s and women’s division, as well as a bracket for kids (ages 13-17) and adults (18-and-over). “Larry Bottles,” the three-man team of Lawrence Edelstein, Ryan Essner and Nick Wiener, won last year’s adult bracket, while “The Guardians of the Bog,” which included Jack Freel, Michael Locasio and Ben Zazula, won the youth bracket.

A grand prize is awarded to the winning team in each bracket. Players and attendees will also have a chance to win additional prizes during the free throw contest, three point contest and half court shootout. The fee per team is $400. Food and drinks will be provided to the players and available for purchase to attendees. The cost to attend as a spectator is free, although donations are welcome.

All proceeds benefit Hoops 4 Hope. Teams can register by visiting hoopsafrica.networkforgood.com/events/58010-east-end-3-s-2023.

“We’re really excited about the second annual ‘East End 3s,’” Crandall said on Monday. “I think last year exceeded our expectations. The help and support that we received for our kids to play in Africa was great and the essence of it all from running a program to get help for kids to be safe and healthy. We had some amazing mentors bring that spirit of ubuntu, and we hope to bring that same awareness this weekend.”

As a sort of “doubleheader,” as Crandall put it, H4H will host its benefit “The Ubuntu Ball” the very next day, Sunday, August 13, from 5-9 p.m. at Sagaponack Farm Distillery. The night will be a celebration of African culture, the organization, and all who support it. There will be food from local restaurants, silent and chance auctions and gypsy jazz music from Hot Club of Montauk. Silent auction prizes, including Yankees tickets, signed Jets memorabilia from Sauce Gardner, Zach Wilson and C.J. Mosley, and a polo trip for two in Buenos Aires, will be given out to the highest bidder. Bidding opened up to the public on H4H’s website on July 11 but will remain open through this Tuesday, August 15, at 5 p.m. All proceeds will support programs in South Africa and Zimbabwe. Tickets for the benefit start at $300 and can be purchased by visiting hoopsafrica.networkforgood.com/events/58012-h4h-annual-gala-2023.

“Hosting our benefit this year at Sagaponack Farm Distillery is meaningful to me,” Crandall said. “The local focus of the distillery, from growing and producing their own spirits to serving only NYS produced wine, beer and food products, pulls into focus the connectedness of Hoops 4 Hope as well. We are supporting local businesses, who are, in turn, supporting us. It’s a real full-circle moment.”

Last year’s inaugural tournament saw 27 teams total and close to 200 people competing. Through registration fees, donations and a silent auction, close to $12,000 was raised to help H4H continue its work, which is largely based in the United States, South Africa and Zimbabwe, but also works in Canada, Lithuania, Angola and Mozambique, Rwanda, Morocco and Japan.

Crandall said that part of what H4H does is remind people that it’s not so easy for kids in Africa to just pick up a ball and start playing basketball. This winter, Crandall said he was lucky enough to get a group of 20 Ross School students to go to Zimbabwe, where they could witness firsthand the challenges that they face.

“I will never forget the impact this trip had on me,” said Elias Wolf, an Amagansett native and Ross School student who made the trip. Speaking in the true spirit of an ubuntu warrior, Wolf added, “I will fuel the fire of positivity and love through my words and actions.”

Crandall said he appreciated the fact that so many took the long trip, but it’s going to take more to keep everything going.

“It’s not so easy to come all that way so it was really great to get them involved, meeting the kids and collaborating across the miles, helping the kids here see outside their world and appreciate what they do have as well as seeing how they can give back in so many ways,” Crandall said. “Anthony and I may be the OG Founders, we’re excited to be sharing our work. We need the youth, but we also need the wisdom of our 25 years in the field to work together and find solutions for the future and keeping our organization with nice turnouts at both events is where we’re going to share with people and they can learn more about what it is we actually do.”

For more information on Hoops 4 Hope, go to hoops4hope.org.