first to ten.
basketball is a language.
It’s movement and memory, instinct and strategy, poetry in motion. For those who grew up playing, the game is more than just competition—it’s a way of knowing yourself and your city. Being known by your city. A way to be heard.
This is basketball in its purest form. No brackets. No schedules. Just show up and play. Win, and you become part of something bigger—a running series that documents the game, the players, the culture. Hold your ground, and your team becomes the one to beat.
Register for the event via this form.
How It Works
3-on-3, half-court.
First to 10 wins. (best 2 out of 3)
Win and you keep the trophy and are our next challenger for the next game.
The winning team holds the title. You keep the same squad, or you give up the streak.
Every event is filmed and released on this website - Mic’d up team captains from each team. A mic’d up ref who’s more than just a ref—they keep the game moving, set the tone, and carry the energy of the event.
Where & When?
We don’t play at the obvious spots. We hit the courts that get overlooked, the ones that have history, the ones waiting for a game like this. The location, time and details drop 48 hours before tip-off.
Follow [@theten253 and @tacoma_wa] to stay in the loop.
How to sign up
Pre-Event Online Sign-Up (Lottery System)
Players register online before the event via website form.
A lottery system randomly selects two teams right before tip-off
All team members must be 18 +
If you’re not present by tip-off we choose another team
You can sign up that day if you arrive at least 30 minutes before tip-up
What’s on the Line?
$300 cash prize for the reigning champions.
A traveling trophy. It stays with the winning team until someone takes it.
A place in Tacoma’s basketball story. Every game is filmed and released online. No edits to make you look better or worse—just the game, exactly as it happened. Play hard, and people will see you.
Why We Do This
Tacoma has hoopers. Always has. But the best games don’t always happen in packed gyms or under bright lights. They happen at night, at the parks, under streetlights, the sound of the ball and the people who come to play.
This is about the game, the culture, the people who make it what it is. It’s about playing because you love to play. Because basketball is a language, and every player has a chance to speak.
Tacoma has hoopers. Always has. But some courts are forgotten, and some players don’t get the shine they deserve. First to Ten is about bringing the game back to the places that made us fall in love with it. It’s about sparking something—more pickup runs, more community.
How to Get in the Game
No sign-ups. No politics. Just show up with your team, and if you’re first, you get the first game. If you lose, you wait your turn. If you win, you hold the court.