WASHINGTON — For most sports fans, a Red Bull sponsorship of an event probably evokes the idea of adrenaline-fueled extreme sports. The brand has its name on everything from the to the that has come to RFK the past few years. But one probably doesn鈥檛 think about basketball.
And yet, that鈥檚 exactly what took place at Barry Farm in Anacostia recently, where the Red Bull Reign 3-on-3 basketball world championship was held. Unlike a lot of sports events, the moniker actually held true. There were teams not just from all over the United States, but from 11 other countries: Argentina, Australia, Chile, Indonesia, Kuwait, Montenegro, Netherlands, Philippines, Serbia, South Korea, and Turkey, all competing for the crown.
That field was winnowed from 480 teams competing in qualifiers all over the world, drawing more than 2,000 athletes. It all culminated in the finals on the Goodman League鈥檚 home court, recently redesigned by local artists No Kings Collective.
鈥淭his is a major event and I鈥檓 thankful that we brought it to this side of town. They normally play tournaments like this at convention centers and downtown, so it鈥檚 very special that this event was brought to the heart of the Southeast,鈥� said Miles Rawls, Commissioner of the Goodman League. 鈥淲ith D.C. winning it all, that鈥檚 just the icing on the cake. I鈥檓 going to remember this tournament for the rest of my life.鈥�
If any aspect of the event seemed to fit the traditional Red Bull brand, it was the frenetic pace of the games themselves. Operating two at a time on opposite ends of the court, they鈥檙e just eight minutes long, or played until a team reaches 21 points, by ones and twos. After each made basket, the opposite team doesn鈥檛 check the ball up top, but can immediately pass or dribble out to set up their offense. Also, wins and losses don鈥檛 really matter — it鈥檚 all about how many points you accumulate over the course of your matchups, so offense is always at a premium.
For the teams that have mastered the format, this often means rather than contesting a one-point layup once a ball handler beats them off the dribble, they instead immediately swing out to the arc to await a pass for an open two-point shot. The Cleveland team seems to have the best understanding of the mechanics and the optimized roster to execute them, with a collection of early 20-something former college players. They dominated most of the first day, but in the end, the D.C. Showstoppers team best them to win the U.S. Championship in front of the home crowd.
That squad of Goodman League regulars Jamahl Brown, Nate Flowers, Chris Howard and Jeff Allen went on to win the international final, as well, the next聽 day, enduring more than 20 games over the two-day event to protect their home court and emerge as champions.
鈥淭he Red Bull Reign hosted a remarkable tournament partnered with the Goodman League,鈥� said Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. in an email. 鈥淚t was a great opportunity to display local talent.鈥�
In addition to shining a spotlight on a D.C. tradition that has existed for decades and on a side of town that rarely gets it, the tournament also left behind a renovated court and the hope that it might draw similar events down the line.
鈥淭he community would very much like to see more events like this in the future,鈥� said White.
