The B.A.L.L Club, led by sponsor Erin Marshall, has been running a 3v3 tournament during lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, inspiring participation and drawing attention from students across multiple grades. With games played each Tuesday and Thursday, the event has turned the lower gym into an active space where students can compete, watch and stay involved in the middle of a stressful school day.

On days where school feels boring, the tournament can bring excitement and promote engagement. HS level tournament participant junior Henry Jacobs said he enjoys the tournament because it serves the exact purpose of giving the students a break. “It provides a competitive and safe environment to have fun at school since it is boring,” Jacobs said.

The tournament is organized into three different brackets, NBA, NCAA and HS, allowing teams to compete against others with similar skill and experience levels. According to Marshall, the structure was intentional. “We established three brackets…to ensure every game was competitive and accessible to everyone, regardless of skill level,” Marshall said.

Games are played in a fast-paced 3v3 format, requiring teams to rely on communication and efficiency. With limited time during lunch, possessions and points are more important for each game, and teams have to play more efficiently to win. The format has also made it easier to include more teams, yet still keep the tournament moving on time with the schedule.

While the tournament is competitive, it was designed with a broader purpose in mind. The main goal isn’t to crown a student as champion, but to create a fun and inclusive experience that makes students look forward to coming to school everyday. According to Marshall, the event gives a nice break from the academic day as well as helping give the students a reset. “Students are more focused in the classroom when they have the opportunity for rigorous exercise mid-day. We want to bridge the gap between athletics and academics,” Marshall said.

Participants have been a mix of both experienced players and students who don’t typically play basketball in a school setting. As for the leaders of the club, senior Omari Hallman and junior Adam Idrissa serve as president and vice president and agree with Marshall that “It has been a wonderful surprise to see students come out and participate on the court,” Marshall said.

The clubs looks to build their influence in the future, with greater engagement. Widening the range of students and greater promotion around the school and on social media could be tangible steps forward, according to Idrissa. As well, “We could also add more brackets and gender neutral teams to ensure everybody has a fair shot at winning,” Idrissa said.

The tournament includes an incentive to drive participants to engage . A local Chick-fil-A operator donated 28 gift cards, which will be awarded to the winners and runners-up in each bracket. “ Each division winner and runner-up will walk away with gift cards, but the real prize is seeing them have fun,” Marshall said.