HOOP-IT-UP PREVIEW: 1,500 PLAYERS HOLD COURT.

Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer

Once a year in Los Angeles, a commercial parking lot surrounded by some of the few skyrise buildings in the San Fernando Valley turns into a streetball exhibition the magnitude of which would put the classic New York battles to shame.

The Hoop-It-Up 3-on-3 basketball tournament visits Los Angeles today and Sunday with more than 1,500 players and 10,000 spectators expected to jam 60 courts at Warner Center Business Park in Woodland Hills. The event starts at 9 a.m.

People of all ages will compete in divisions of their age, gender and talent level.

Winners of the Top Gun division (college basketball experience or higher) advance to take on teams from 43 other cities in the national tournament in late October at Sea World in San Antonio. The men's national winner meets a team of ex-NBA players in a matchup televised on NBC, and the women's team goes against current WNBA players.

Past NBA participants include James Worthy, Michael Cooper, Kurt Rambis, Spud Webb, Mark Aguirre, Rick Mahorn, Danny Ainge and Orlando Woolridge. Cynthia Cooper competed in the women's game last year.

The men's Top Gun winner hasn't crumbled under the pressure of playing the NBA vets on national television, having beaten the more experienced professionals for six consecutive years.

The tournament runs until 5 p.m. today and 3 p.m. Sunday.

Teams are guaranteed at least three games today, and playoffs for all divisions take place Sunday. The Top Gun final to determine which team will represent Los Angeles in the national competition is scheduled for 2 p.m. for the men and 1 p.m. for the women.

Admission is free for spectators and there are side attractions, including a slam-dunk contest on 10- and nine-foot baskets, a 3-point shootout and free-throw competition, for those in attendance.

The slam-dunk contest is scheduled for noon on center court with the other contests occurring throughout the day.