For some local community members, the annual Takin It To The Streets 3-on-3 tournament represents an opportunity to compete in basketball at a serious level. For others, it is a chance to show off their skills. For even others still, the event is a chance for people to get out and enjoy the sun and recreation as families.

More than 700 athletes, from youth in early grade school to adults, traveled to Hermiston Saturday and Sunday to compete in the ninth annual half-court tournament. A dozen or so courts were marked off with white tape, and hoops made of metal and wood were displayed up and down Main Street in Hermiston. More action took place at Newport Park

More than 180 teams in matching and mismatching uniforms braved the streets this year to compete to see who would be named champion. And this year, just like in past years, some names sounded pretty familiar at the awards presentation.

The team Hand Down Man Down won its third straight tournament title in the mens recreational division. Irrigon Boyz also won another championship tournament title after taking the title last year.

Kelsey Hill, who was a part of the winning co-ed team Chocolate Thunder, said the chance to compete just provided her the opportunity to keep her skills fresh as a college basketball player. She said she actually plays for the womens basketball team at Eastern Oregon University, and the Takin It to the Streets tournament just marked a fun time to hone her abilities. It was the first time she competed at the tournament.

Yes, this is my first time playing in this tournament with this wonderful heat, she said. It is pretty intense. It is just super-competitive.

Hill, who is from Sutherlin, Ore., said she was put on a team with a couple of co-ed members she didnt quite know, with the exception of her friend Jeni Hoffert, Hermiston, who also plays at EOU. Regardless, Hill said the opportunity to play in the tournament was a good time.

Were just out here having fun, she said.

For other athletes competing, the event was a homecoming of sorts. For Umatilla resident Isaac Murguia, this past weekend marked his fifth year playing in the tournament.

Murguia said the level of competition is stiff every year, and each year his teams goal is to place higher than the last. Early in the tournament on Saturday, he said his team hoped to make it to the championship game. He said the last couple of years, they have faced off with Irrigon Boyz, the defending champions, but were unsuccessful. He said the highest his team has placed is third in the tournament, and he expected to do no less than that.

I think well do pretty well, he said.

Larry Usher, one of the tournaments coordinators, said he feels the tournament went really well, overall.

We had very few hiccups in all of the tournament, he said.

He said downtown Hermiston was packed with players and audience members, alike, and athletes with a wide variety of skill and age level competed.

Usher said one thing that was interesting about the tournament was that the adult registration was down this year, but the number younger players in second and third grades was way up.

It is great to see those younger kids out playing more this year, he said.

Usher said it was also great to see one of Hermistons own win the slam dunk competition, an award that went to Keegan Crafton.

That was a good highlight for Hermiston, he said.

Usher said the tournament usually raises between $8,000 and $10,000 for the Hermiston High School boys and girls basketball programs and the AAU basketball programs. As of early Tuesday, he said it was too soon to say exactly how much money was raised, but he estimates it will be close to previous years.