Three Northern New York boys’ basketball players will compete in the Basketball Coaches Association of New York Summer Hoops Festival this weekend in Johnson City.

The event helps fill the void left when the 2011 Empire State Games scheduled for Rochester were canceled due to financial problems.

Locals who are playing for the Syracuse area team in the eight-team boys’ division include 6-foot-5 senior Dustin Pond from Watertown High School, 5-11 junior guard Tom Bassett from South Jefferson and 6-4 senior forward Kyle Binion from Lisbon.

Lisbon coach Sean Backus is serving as an assistant coach on the Central New York team, which encompasses Section 3 and Section 10.

A girls’ division is also being held, but no area players are competing.

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