One hundred and thirty six teams are competing in the 2020 HCM City School Festival Basketball Tournament for the Milo Cup that began at the Phú Thọ Stadium in District 11 on Sunday. — Photo courtesy of Nestlé

HCM CITY — The 2020 HCM City School Festival Basketball Tournament for Milo Cup, which opened at Phú Thọ Stadium in District 11 on Sunday (July 5), has attracted 136 teams from 300 schools.

Organised by the HCM City Basketball Federation and Nestlé Milo, the tournament will run until July 25.

Huỳnh Trọng Khải, the federation’s chairman, said the tournament has seen an increase in terms of quality and number of participating teams over the years, helping nurture talent.

The tournament is in its 25th year, with Nestlé being involved for 15.

Another tournament, the final round of the 2019-2020 School Football Festival, will be played at Phú Nhuận football stadium from July 6 to 11 with 180 teams from 120 primary and secondary schools taking part.

The teams came through a six-month qualifying round.

Đoàn Mạnh Xương of the HCM City Football Federation said “Although there was a disruption in the tournament this year, we have still received enthusiastic participation of students and schools.”

The tournaments are among the major events under the ‘Active Vietnam’ programme instituted by Nestlé Milo to encourage an active lifestyle and physical activity in the community, especially among children.

Tournament

Meanwhile in Hà Nội, the Hà Nội Basketball Federation (HBF) recently announced it will hold a 3vs3 basketball tournament on July 18 at Lý Thái Tổ Flower Garden by Hoàn Kiếm Lake.

According to Đào Văn Kiên, general secretary of HBF, the tournament will take place from 1pm to 10pm with 16 teams including 12 male teams and four female teams.

The tournament will feature four top male basketball teams including the VBA’s Thang Long Warriors and Hanoi Buffaloes, as well as Hanoi basketball club and the basketball club of the air force. The remaining male teams will be semi-professional teams.

To boost the quality of the tournament, each team can register one heritage or foreign athlete living, studying and working in Việt Nam

The tournament is the first move of HBF to hold top tournaments for the basketball community in Hà Nội.

With the new VBA season postponed until the end of this year last week due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 3x3 tournament will be a chance for some of the capital’s thousands of basketball fans to get their fix of hoops for now. — VNS