Wake Forest teen Austin Shaw wanted to give his peers a positive way to spend a weekend. That's why the now-rising senior at Wake Forest-Rolesville High School conceived the Slam Jam 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament.

"It's just amazing to see some of these kids grow up," Shaw said. "A lot of the kids playing, I play with during rec league. It's good to see they're still staying strong. I want to be a positive force for them."

Hundreds of people came out to the second annual event Saturday on the courts at the DuBois Center in northeast Wake Forest.

The tournament is open to any youth aged 8-18 in the East End neighborhood.

All participants have to do, is form a team of three and come up with a team name. Shaw said it's important for registration, food, and entertainment to be free, so that cost doesn't deter anyone from participating.

"This year we really wanted to promote racial unity and community unification, and just to have a good time," Shaw said.

Glendine King Jeffries, a resident in the East End, said it's nice to see generations of the tight-knit neighborhood come together.

"You get to communicate with people you haven't seen in a long time," she said. "I think it's wonderful."