The Davis Chapel Park in Henderson is the place to be on January 18 – that’s where members of the professional men’s basketball team the Raleigh Firebirds will come to town to host a 3v3 basketball tournament. The event is from noon to 2 p.m.
Firebirds owner Wade Harris told WIZS host Trey Snide and guest Brandon White during a recent WIZS SportsTalk program that his team is partnering with Davis Chapel Missionary Baptist Church to put on the event. There is no cost to sign up; visit the team’s website Raleighfirebirds.net for more information, or text or phone 919.830.0305 to learn how to enter the tournament. Winners will get 4 season tickets to the Firebirds home games.
“The Firebirds are really all about community service, engaging in the community and finding ways that we can support our youth,” Harris said. “We figured the 3-on-3 tournament would be a nice way to not only introduce the Firebirds to the community, but also to introduce the community to the game of basketball,” he said.
Click Play to Listen to Wade Harris on WIZS SportsTalk…
Although the fan base and sponsorships are in and around Wake County at the moment, Harris said the Firebirds are “here to provide opportunities for young men still chasing that dream of being a professional basketball player. This is really a platform for them to be able to do that, as well as to develop certain aspects of their games, so that they can expand and grow,” he added.
Spectators will probably get a chance to see some of the Firebirds put on an exhibition as well, Harris said.
The Davis Chapel Park, located at the corner of Chestnut and Rock Spring streets, was chosen as the site of this event for a couple of reasons. The church has adopted the park and Harris spoke with the son of the pastor there. “(The park) is a great setting for a tournament like this,” Harris said. “We want to bring even more life to the park itself,” he said, “and if there are some things that we can do to uplift that park and to uplift the people that go and frequent that area, then we want to do that,” he continued.
“Everything happens for a reason…Martin Luther King Day is certainly a good day for us to celebrate in general, but it’s a great day for us to bring the 3-on-3 game to Henderson, North Carolina,” Harris said. Originally set as a New Year’s Eve celebration, the threat of inclement weather forced organizers to reschedule the event.
“It’s a way to bring the community together and identify some needs… and to see how we might be able to support in addressing those needs,“ Harris said.