As March Madness closes, youth basketball tournaments ramp up in Hoover

March Madness and the NCAA basketball tournament may be coming to a close, but there is plenty more roundball to come this spring and summer at the Finley Center in Hoover.

Nine youth basketball tournaments drawing teams from multiple states are scheduled between now and the end of July at the 155,000-square-foot indoor center at the Hoover Metropolitan Complex, which can be divided into 11 full-size basketball courts.

This weekend, March 30-31, the Team Storm Basketball Club is holding a tournament for about 80 teams of boys and girls in grades 4-11, said Monty Jones, general manager of the Hoover Metropolitan Complex.

Then, after two weekends of youth volleyball tournaments, the Finley Center will host the HoopSeen Bama Jam tournament on April 21-22. That tournament, a new event, is expected to draw about 150 teams of boys in grades 8-11, Jones said. It is certified by the NCAA, which means NCAA Division 1 coaches could be there, he said.

In May, the Finley Center will host three basketball tournaments on back-to-back weekends.

First, on May 4-6, comes the Future150 Tournament for boys and girls ages 12-and-under through 17-and-under, Jones said. That tournament likely will feature 150 to 180 teams playing at both the Finley Center and Pete Hanna Center at Samford University, Jones said.

Then, on May 12-13, comes the Adidas Select Alabama Classic, a new tournament that serves as a qualifier for the national Adidas Junior Gauntlet tournament in Los Angeles in July. It will feature about 120 teams of boys and girls in grades 4-12 and is put on by the ZG Select Basketball organization, Jones said.

On May 18-20, the Essence Girls Basketball group (affiliated with Nike) and Roundball Academy are putting on the Capital Cool Classic tournament, formerly held at the Crampton Bowl in Montgomery. It should draw about 120 teams of boys and girls in grades 5-12, Jones said. The 12-and-under, 13-and-under and eighth-grade boys and girls teams will be competing to qualify for the USA Basketball Open in Westfield, Indiana, in July, Jones said.

The Finley Center basketball courts will get busy again on June 15-17 as the Competitive Youth Basketball League has its national championships there. About 100 to 120 teams, mostly from Southern states, are expected to attend, including boys in grades 2-12 and girls in grades 5-12, Jones said. Last year’s championship was held at the Mobile Convention Center, Jones said.

On July 6-7, the Essence Girls Basketball group returns, with Birmingham Live, an NCAA-certified event for girls in grades 7-12, Jones said. About 120 to 150 teams are expected, he said.

Then on July 23-25, the Triple Crown Basketball’s Southeast championship is coming to the Finley Center, featuring about 80 teams of girls 14-and-under through 17-and-under. That tournament also is certified by the NCAA, Jones said.

Just a couple of hours after the Triple Crown tournament ends, another NCAA-certified tournament called the Future150 Live Nationals begins and continues through July 29. That one should bring 100 to 120 teams of boys and girls 12-and-under through 17-and-under, Jones said.