The Ronald McDonald House of Long Island, in conjunction with Hoop it Up America, recently announced it will hold a "3 on 3 Basketball Tournament" June 16 at Cantaigue Park in Hicksville. The event will be part of the 7th Annual Ronald McDonald House Sports Festival.

According to Lucent Technologies' Don Tobias, there will be two tournaments, one for corporate teams and one for youth teams. The Youth Tournament is geared toward local children and youth organization (i.e. Police Athletic League, CYO and YJA.) The teams will consist of three to six players and each team will compete in divisions based on age and skill level. The youth division is for children of various ages.

The Corporate Tournament is geared toward Long Island and New York City businesses, weekend warriors or individual players of all skill levels. Like the Youth teams, the Corporate Tournament teams will consist of three to six players and each team will compete in divisions based on age and skill level. The corporate division is for adults of various ages.

In addition, the winners of both the "Youth Tournaments" and the "Corporate Tournaments" will automatically qualify for the "Hoop it Up America" Ling Island regional competition, which will be on Aug. 18-19. In addition to the 3 on 3 tournament, there will be a slam-dunk contest and three point shooting contest.

All proceeds collected for the event will go to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island, a not-for-profit corporation that provides a temporary lodging facility for seriously ill children and their families who must travel to area hospitals for urgently needed medical care. Since opening its doors in 1986, the New Hyde Park based facility has served almost 6,000 families whose child is under a physician's care.

For more information on the "3 on 3 Basketball Tournament" call tournament chairman Don Tobias at (347) 203-5520 or Silvana Gullo, executive director at the Ronald McDonald House, at 775-5683.