Biddy-Buddy Tournament Begins in Beckley - Beckley, Bluefield & Lewisburg News, Weather, Sports

More than 70 youth basketball teams invade Beckley this weekend for one of the premier tournaments.

"It's one of the bigger tournaments in the southeast. It's drawn several states in the past. I think it's made a good reputation being a competitive tournament. One that is well organized and put on by the YMCA of Southern West Virginia," said YMCA of Southern West Virginia CEO Jay Rist.

The 41st YMCA Biddy-Buddy Tournament will be played at four spots around Beckley and prepares teams in five different age groups to get some exposure.

"We did really good. It was a dog fight. We played as a team and worked together," said Kaulin Parris, a fifth grader from Bluefield.

Teams from four different states flock to the tournament because of its reputation.

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"It's always good competition. Beckley people usually treat us real well. It's a great tournament to come to and get some exposure for our kids," said Tony Webster, a coach from Bluefield.

With all those teams coming to the area, registration didn't just happen overnight.

"We've had several AAU teams that have played here previously, they will send their teams consistently. We've also had some new teams find our listing on youth basketball websites," Rist said.

And the area squads enjoy the shorter drive.

"We're a traveling team and a lot of tournament we go to are in Carolina or Roanoke. It's good to just travel 45 minutes and get a good quality tournament," Webster said.

For the YMCA, putting on a tournament this size does take some work.

"The hardest thing is just trying to nail down everything. Making sure that we have everything for the teams so when they come in it is easy for them to register and then get to their first game," Rist said.