NASHVILLE, Tenn.––Has your church always wanted to claim it is a national champion?
It may make such a claim if its church-sponsored team can win a summer 3-on-3 national United Methodist Men basketball tournament.
A total of 32 teams from United Methodist churches across the nation will participate in a 3-man basketball tournament to be held July 12-13 at Belmont University in Nashville.
The tournament is part of the National Gathering of United Methodist Men, July 12-14 at Belmont. There is no charge if all team members are registered for the conference and a $50 per team if team members are not registered for the event.
Churches may enter teams in either the under 40 or over 40 age groups. (40 year olds may enter either division). All team members must be members of the same church. No district or conference teams will be accepted.
Games will begin in the Belmont University gym at 1 p.m. on July 12.
Brackets and times will be posted at the gym and at http://ummgathering.org. Games will be played July 12, 1-7 p.m., and July 13, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Each team may have from 3 to 10 players, but each player must have both a light and a dark jersey with numbers on both the front and back.
Playing time shall be two halves of twelve minutes of a continuously running clock with an intermission of five minutes. In the last two minutes of each half, the clock will stop in accordance with normal basketball rules. The three point line will serve as the “check line.”
There is a limit of 16 teams in each age bracket. Entry will be based on a first-come basis.
In order to ensure your church is entered into the tournament, the captain may reserve a position by sending an email to Rich Peck, tournament director (rpeck@gcumm.org). That e-mail must include the church name, city, team name and, team captain. Call Rich for additional information (615-620-7264).
If all team members will not be registering for the national gathering, the captain must send a $50 check to GCUMM, P.O. Box 440515, Nashville, TN 37244-0515 or pay by credit card (contact Josh Eidson 615-620-7263).
Individual team members may register for the conference at http://ummgathering.org. Rules and brackets will also be posted at that site.