Hoop-It-Up®, the official 3-on-3 Tour of the NBA and NBC Sports and the premiere street basketball tour in the US, will make its 10th annual stop on Long Island, Aug. 26 and 27. More than 2,800 area basketball players are expected on 75 courts set up for tournament play at Nassau Coliseum.

Long Island Hoop-It-Up offers fair and competitive 3-on-3 basketball action to players ages 8 and older of all skill levels, with divisions ranging from recreational to Top Gun (college experience or better), including kids (10 and younger), teens (17 and younger) and players over age 35. Players must form teams of up to four members (includes one substitute) and register by Friday, Aug. 18. Teams are then placed in divisions with others of similar age, height and playing ability.

The Hoop-It-Up Tour is expected to host 140,000 players in more than 40 US cities in 2000, more than a decade and millions of players after it began in six cities in 1989. The NBA sanctioned Hoop-It-Up as its official 3-on-3 basketball tour in 1992. An NBA-sanctioned Canadian tour was added in 1997.

Teams can register for Long Island Hoop-It-Up online at www.hoopitup.com, or call (888) 997-PLAY to receive registration information. Forms for discounted team entry are available at area Foot Locker stores. The entry fee of $116 per team ($140 for Top Gun division) guarantees each team at least three scheduled games. Proceeds from team entries benefit local charities and spectator admission is free. Players who previously have competed in Long Island Hoop-It-Up will receive a special premium item.

The continuous 3-on-3 play begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday, ending at approximately 5 p.m.; Sunday games take place from 9 a.m. to approximately 3 p.m. All round-robin games will be played on Saturday, with division playoffs scheduled on Sunday. Referees will be on all courts during both days of tournament play.