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The sound of thousands of bouncing basketballs heard throughout downtown Houston on Sunday meant the annual Final Four festivities were in town.

An estimated 3,500 balls were distributed to kids participating in the Final Four Dribble held at Herman Square in City Hall. Poetry, music and warm-up activities kept the momentum going prior to the event.

Houston Rockets legend Kenny Smith was there to lead the participants in dribbling warm-ups and to explain the rules of sportsmanship.

“Stay with your people you came with,” Smith said. “We’re all together. We’re one team; one unit. You got to be a good teammate.”

Becca Koval, project coordinator for the NCAA Final Four Houston Board Organizing Committee, told the kids to cherish the festivities that were in town.

“Enjoy yourselves because this is a once in a lifetime event, and it probably won’t be back in a few years,” Koval said. “Get excited. Spend time with your family and enjoy your Sunday.”

After his kids heard about the event through a flier at school, Steven Amador brought two of his kids to participate in the dribble event.

“It’s pretty exciting to see all the events they have going on,” Amador said. “I wish I had this kind of stuff when I was a kid.”

Participants dribbled their basketballs all the way to Fan Fest being held at the George R. Brown Convention Center, a distance of one mile.

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