Hardcourt heroes compete in 78th Pct. Basketball Championship Day

A Brooklyn intra-mural basketball league is offering its players more than just the opportunity to shoot some hoops: They’re getting a chance to win a championship among the best talent in the borough.

The 78th Precinct Youth Council held its Basketball Championship Day at Bishop Ford High School in Park Slope for the sixth straight year earlier this month, where young talent from Kings County competed for a shot at the trophy and a complimentary pizza party.

“Because each basketball division (age group) plays in separate public school gymnasiums, there was never an opportunity for all of our basketball families to gather under one roof,” said 78th youth council president David Nisbett.

Several years ago the group’s board of directors decided to hold the championship games on one day at a single location and to call it 78PYC Championship Sunday, Nisbett said.

Championship games were held for all six recreational divisions, which gave athletes from the ages of 9-17 a chance to showcase their skills in front of the jubilant 1,400-person crowd.

The day’s events also included a little entertainment in the form of clinic players (ages 5-9), who performed a skills demo at the half-time of each game.

Nesbett said the board also decided to have a coach’s game so players could see what their coaches look like on the floor.

Although not every player involved could win a championship, Nisbett made sure that each participant was rewarded for his or her efforts.

Division championship games were immediately followed by a pizza party, along with the presentation of participation awards for all the athletes.

“This event has been, and continues to be, very successful, with a large percentage of the players and parents attending,” Nisbett said.