San Cernin to host first inter-school basketball tournament

Navarra’s holiday sports calendar is expanding this winter with the introduction of the first-ever San Cernin Inter-School Basketball Tournament. The event, scheduled for December 27 through December 30, arrives as a new addition to the regional holiday sports circuit, which has been anchored for 44 years by the traditional inter-school soccer competition.

Tournament schedule and eligibility

The tournament is open to students in the sixth grade of primary school, specifically those born in 2015. To accommodate students who may also be participating in the concurrent soccer tournament, all basketball matches are set for the afternoon. In addition to sixth-grade students, organizers are allowing teams to supplement their rosters with fifth-grade students born in 2016.

Each team must register a minimum of six players and can carry a maximum of 15. The tournament rules allow for mixed-gender rosters: teams in the boys’ category may include up to two female players, and girls’ teams may include up to two male players. In both cases, only one player of the opposite gender is permitted on the court at any given time.

Host Competition at San Cernin Venue

The competition will take place at San Cernin. According to Sergio López, a director of Club Deportivo San Cernin, the tournament was established to address a perceived gap in regional youth sports. The club has produced notable Navarrese basketball figures including the Urtasun brothers and Iñaki Sanz.

The format guarantees each participating team three matches. The group stage, which occupies the first two days, will consist of games featuring four seven-minute periods. The quarterfinals and semifinals will follow the same duration. For the final and the third-place match, the format shifts to six periods of eight minutes each.

Registration process

Participation in the inaugural tournament is free for all schools. Interested institutions must complete their registration by November 25 using the official online form provided by Club Deportivo San Cernin. For additional inquiries regarding the tournament, organizers have directed school coordinators to contact [email protected].