3x3 Basketball Action Lands at Guildford Town Centre this Family Day weekend

3x3 basketball action will be taking over Guildford Town Centre this Family Day long weekend as the Vancouver Bandits and Basketball BC host 3x3 Clutch.

3x3 Clutch is a joint partnership between BC's professional basketball club and Basketball BC that is designed to increase awareness and interest in 3x3 basketball through collaborative events hosted across British Columbia throughout the calendar year.

Set to run Friday, February 13, to Monday, February 16, 3x3 Clutch will welcome nearly 250 young athletes from across the Lower Mainland competing on a custom-built court setup at Guildford Town Centre. Athletes will be competing in the following age groups; Boys U12, U13, U14 and Girls U12, U13.

This weekend’s games at 3x3 Clutch are open to the public; spectators are welcome to attend for free as no admission fee will be charged.

This upcoming 3x3 Clutch event will mark the first time that a 3x3 basketball tournament will be held inside a shopping centre in British Columbia, following in the footsteps of recent 3x3 basketball events in Canada including in Edmonton during Summer 2025. 

“Hosting the first-ever 3x3 basketball tournament inside a shopping centre in British Columbia speaks to how creative and accessible this sport can be. Our partnership with Guildford Town Centre is built around growing the game in meaningful ways and bringing community together,” says Dylan Kular, Vancouver Bandits team president. “3x3 basketball thrives in community spaces and this event shows how the game can adapt, grow, and reach new audiences in exciting ways.”

In addition to exciting 3x3 basketball action, the weekend will also feature several youth development clinics led by Bandits coaching staff, and interactive basketball opportunities for shoppers and the public.

"As we approach our fourth year partnering with the Vancouver Bandits, we are thrilled to host the 3x3 Clutch basketball tournament at Guildford Town Centre. This action-packed weekend promises excitement for both players and spectators, and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting our community through dynamic events that bring people together," says Kiran Deol, Marketing Manager at Guildford Town Centre. 

The sport of 3x3 basketball is a fast-paced rendition of the traditional 5-on-5 game that is played globally; thanks to its surging popularity and global interest in the 3x3 basketball format, the sport was incorporated at the Olympics for the first time at the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games. 3x3 basketball is played in a half-court setting, thus requiring less space to play and also affords each player more opportunities to touch the ball given the reduced amount of players on the court.

Launched in the summer of 2023 and featuring its inaugural tournament at the Canadian Elite Basketball League’s 2023 Championship Weekend festivities at Langley Events Centre, the goal of 3x3 Clutch is to provide a recreational and competitive framework for youth and adult 3x3 basketball.

For more information, visit www.thebandits.ca/3x3clutch.