Take your best shot at 2ball contest

The roar of cheering fans greets players as they step onto the brightly lit court in the United Center. The adrenaline is pumping as the announcer makes introductions.

And then it's go time. Players take their best shots at the basket. They shoot, and when they score, applause reverberates through the stadium.

For Chicago Bulls fans who can prove they have what it takes, this scenario doesn't have to be a mere dream.

Winners of a 2ball competition that starts this month in Naperville will get to participate in a final competition at the United Center April 13, just before the Bulls take on the Orlando Magic.

But to get onto the UC hardwood, the two-person teams must show their skills in a shooting competition.

That's where the Naperville Park District comes in.

Two-person teams will compete Feb. 23 in the gym at Brookdale Elementary School, hoping to qualify for a March 30 competition in Lisle.

In 2ball, players take turns shooting from different spots on the court -- from lay-ups to three-pointers -- each with a different point value. They can try all the spots or stick with the ones where they feel most comfortable.

"On the court, we'll put down circles with point values around them," said Brock Atwell, Naperville Park District program manager. "No one is guarding you. One person takes a shot and then you switch."

Each two-person team gets 60 seconds to rack up as many points as possible. An air horn blast, on a tape from the Chicago Bulls playing in the background, will signal when time is up, Atwell said.

Boys and girls will compete separately in several age divisions: 9 to 11; 12 to 14; and 15 to 18. There also will be co-ed contests in each age group, as well as adult-child pairings in the 9 to 11 and 12 to 14 age groups.

"It's all about teamwork," Atwell said. "There is a strategy to it."

Top finishers will move on to compete March 30 at the Bulls/White Sox Training Academy in Lisle.

First-place finishers there will get two tickets to the Bulls' April 13 home game against the Orlando Magic. All team winners will get to compete in an open shoot just before the professional game starts.

Atwell said the Naperville Park District is partnering with the Illinois Parks and Recreation Association and the Chicago Bulls to bring resident s this event.

"It's a good time," he said. "It only takes 60 seconds. It's not a long event."

Contestants can register before the contest at Brookdale and must be the stated age on the day of the competition, Atwell said.

Competition for 9- to 11-year-olds begins at 10 a.m.; the older age groups follow at 10:45 and 11:30 a.m.

If you go

What: 2-Ball Competition, sponsored by Naperville Park District

When: 10 a.m. to noon Feb. 23

Where: Brookdale Elementary School, 1200 Redfield Road, Naperville

Cost: Free

Info: (630) 848-5000 or napervilleparks.org