The NBA at UBC
The Bell NBA All-Star Challenge presented by AIR MILES is making its way across Canada ahead of the 2016 NBA All-Star Game in Toronto, and on Saturday, January 23rd, the competition will make its way to UBC's Point Grey campus.
Saturday's festivities, culminating with the Thunderbirds men's and women's double-header against the Regina Cougars, will be headlined by an NBA skills competition, and appearances from former Vancouver Grizzlies icon Shareef Abdur-Rahim.Â
Kicking off at noon in the Student Recreation Centre, participants aged 14 and above can show off their skills at the Bell NBA All-Star Challenge, including a Skills Competition, a 3-Point Shootout, and an NBA Slam Dunk Contest.  With sign-ups open to the public and doors opening at 11:45 a.m., there's no charge to enter, and winners could be in line for a pretty sweet prize – an all-expenses paid trip to Toronto for the NBA All-Star 2016, where they will get a shot to compete for the Bell NBA All Star Challenge national championship.
The pre-qualifiers start at 12:00 p.m., and include the 3-point, skills and slam dunk competition. The semi-finals will take place will cap off the afternoon at the Student Rec Centre, and then the competition goes big-time.
Finalists in each of the competitions will get to show off their skills during halftime of the Thunderbirds men's game against the Cougars later that evening,
To kick off the weekend, the AIR MILES Flight Deck will be on location in the new Student Nest from 11-3 p.m. on Friday, January 22, giving students a chance to soar and dunk like a pro – with a little trampoline-aided bounce.
In addition, the NBA will be rolling out the full big-league experience at War Memorial Gym during the two Thunderbird basketball games, as sponsors Bell, Samsung, BMO, and AIR MILES will be doling out prizes, giveaways amidst a host of interactive exhibits and performances.Â
As crazy as the festivities should be with the NBA back in town, the on-court intensity should be more than a match, as the T-Birds women (4-6) look to continue their strong form against the Cougars (9-1), who are ranked fourth nationally.
On the men's side, the 'Birds continue to improve as they hit the stretch drive to March, when the Blue and Gold will host host the CIS Men's Basketball Final 8. Regina (7-3) should prove an excellent test for home side, having having shown continuous improvement over the course of the season.
Get your tournament packages, and single game tickets, for the CIS Men's Basketball Final 8 now, as the competition is set to take place from March 17-20 at the Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre.  Â
A quick run down of the Bell NBA All-Star Challenge events can be found below.
Bell NBA All-Star Challenge presented by AIR MILES
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