The first-ever Junior Lakers tournament was a faceoff of the best ballers from eight Boys and Girls Club Junior Lakers teams. When the final buzzer rang it sounded to the tune of a San Fernando Valley victory, as the club just edged out Challengers by a score of 36-30. San Fernando Valley parents and coaches stormed the court to celebrate the win and the group collected the first Junior Lakers Championship banner on what was an exhilarating day of Lakers youth basketball.
The tournament began with Lakers legend James Worthy, who addressed the eight participating clubs: Challengers, Hollywood, Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, Venice, Watts, Whittier, and West San Gabriel Valley.