Tauranga will play host to the popular Burger King Quest 3X3 Basketball Tour next week.

It is one of 10 events being held up and down the country between January and April. Entries are open in all categories (age group, male, female, mixed), with the added incentive of an all-expenses paid trip to the FIBA World Masters 3X3 Tour in either China or Japan next year for the winning men's open team.

Tauranga's event will be held at Blacke Park Tennis Courts on Saturday January 23 and organisers are expecting a large turnout for the basketball tournament.

Building on two successful Tours over previous summers, the Burger King 3X3 Quest Tour hosted three tournaments before Christmas, with a further ten planned up and down the country before returning to Auckland's Aotea Square for the Grand Final World Tour Qualifier on April 2.

As well as the added incentive of the overseas all-expenses paid trip to Asia for the winning team, entry to the Burger King Quest Tour is free this summer.

Event director David Huxford says Tauranga locals love their basketball and has no doubt they will turn up in numbers on next week.

'There is huge potential for 3X3 in what we call ‘pick-up' basketball throughout the country, and Tauranga is no exception. On these summer days all you need is a few friends and we will provide the court, the basketball, the officials, some great music and a competition that caters for all abilities. For those in the open men's category who fancy themselves as decent players, there is the added incentive of the all-expenses paid trip to Asia for the winning team.

David says the event is open to everyone in the region.

'In fact from anywhere. People might be on holiday from around the country, they are welcome to enter a team and have some fun. We encourage teams to enter early and come along for a great day of basketball.”

He says three on three basketball is fast becoming a global sensation, with a professional world circuit, known as the World Tour, played in some of the world's most iconic locations.

The Burger King 3X3 Quest Tour is New Zealand's selection platform to send a team to the World Tour Masters in Asia. Each winning team in the open men's category from the regional events will have the opportunity to vie for the title at the World Tour Qualifier final in Auckland on April 2. The winner of the Final will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the World Tour Masters in either China or Japan in 2016.

The tour is open to all players and will have U14, U16, U18 and Open for both men's and women's.

For more information or to register click here.