LEWES, DE - Local high school basketball tournament Slam Dunk to the Beach is on a temporary hiatus this year as the Delaware Sports Commission (DSC) assesses an evolving landscape of elite high school basketball.
The DSC says the tournament, relaunched in 2014, has been a economic driver for Sussex County and has attracted top-tier teams and their fans to Delaware each December for the past decade.
This year’s break, however, will allow DSC to look at current trends, connect with stakeholders, and consider new approaches on moving the tournament forward, according to the Commission. DSC says their leadership will continue to support sporting events in Delaware in collaboration with the Delaware Tourism Office.
Both Slam Dunk to the Beach and DSC are on sound financial footing, according to a statement from DSC.
“As the elite high school basketball landscape continues to evolve, we thought it would be prudent to take a step back and evaluate how best to continue supporting and promoting the event moving into the future,” Dr. Matthew Robinson, Chairman of the DSC said. “When we relaunched the event in 2014 we made two important promises, one, to offer the highest quality of high school basketball for our fans. Second, we wanted to be fiscally responsible in that we would pay our vendors and meet our obligations to our sponsors. I feel for the past 10 years we have lived up to those promises. The changing landscape will make it a challenge to continue fulfilling those promises.”
DSC says the tournament has seen a generation of high school basketball players who have gone on to the top levels of college basketball and the NBA, including Cam Reddish of the Lakers, Dereck Lively II of the Dallas Mavericks, Mo Bamba of the Philadelphia Sixers, and Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to everyone who has been a part of the Slam Dunk to the Beach journey over the past decade,” Robinson stated. “We understand that this decision may disappoint fans, players, coaches, and partners who have been integral to the success of the Slam Dunk to the Beach, but know your support and dedication have been instrumental in making this event a beacon of excellence in high school basketball nationally. The Delaware Sports Commission and the Slam Dunk to the Beach tournament sincerely thanks everyone for their understanding and support.”