Summer, 2018 — Jesi.

It was one of those summers when time feels endless. I had just wrapped up my internship and was halfway through writing my bachelor’s thesis. Honestly, the hardest part of my university career was already behind me.

The days were long and slow. And then—someone had an idea.

The Spark

Basketball is kind of a big deal around here. Jesi spent several years in Serie A before facing some unfortunate setbacks. The passion for the sport stuck around, and many locals still play.

One of those hot summer evenings, I met up with my group of friends in the city center. Among those friends was Michele, 21 at the time. He’d always played basketball, and was one of the first in our group to land a steady job. But his real superpower? He’s the guy who organizes. Planning Ferragosto? No problem—Michi’s already booked a camping spot in San Vicino. Want to go on holiday in Greece? He’s found the cheapest hotel in the archipelago and made the reservation. He’s the rock of the group.

So when he suggested turning the San Sebastiano parish into a basketball arena, we knew he meant business.

And just like that, The Canestreet was born.

The First Time

Jesi wasn’t new to basketball tournaments. Years ago, some were held at the sports complex near the high school, and even earlier, right in the main square—with big-name guests. But it had been a while since anything like that had happened. The goal was simple: fill the summer void with something fun. 3x3 basketball is a street sport—games take place on a half-court, tournament-style, with short, fast-paced matches.

The plan was to host an amateur tournament with some of Michele’s teammates. The venue? San Sebastiano, a parish in downtown Jesi, just across from his house. The tournament’s name: The Canestreet. Why that name? Honestly, no clue. It’s a mashup of canestro (basket) and street, not even quite captivating, actually. But when Michi makes a call, there’s no room for democracy.

To pull it off, Michele needed a team. A few of our friends jumped in immediately—Federico, his best friend, and Lorenzo, a teammate. Soon after, I joined too.

I had never played basketball. But I had something else: a laptop and a bit of creativity. So I became the computer guy—running our Instagram page, trying to hype up the event with stories and posts, and experimenting with ways to reach people. I also ended up being the sound guy—plugging in the speakers, cueing up the playlists, packing everything down at night. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was fun. And all of that, with exactly zero euros in the budget.

Within a month, the Michele Mosca organizational machine was in full swing. We gathered enough teams, secured permission from the parish, bought a few cheap medals, and pulled off our first tournament. We had no sponsors (well, none we could publicly acknowledge), and no funding.

But it worked. The event was a blast.

And most importantly—it felt like something.

Growing Pains and Giant Leaps

That first success was a spark, and it lit a fire. The following year, we moved to a larger space: San Pietro Martire, a parish with more room and more visibility. We joined the official FIP 3x3 Summer Circuit. We added categories. Got real sponsors. Learned to plan better. Messed up, learned again.

Every summer became a new challenge.

By 2022, we had moved to Piazza della Repubblica—the beating heart of Jesi. With support from the municipality, we installed a modular court and hoop in the middle of the square, right under the obelisk. The sound of basketballs bouncing off cobblestones became the new summer anthem.

We introduced under-age categories, both male and female open tournaments, and even a 3-point contest, including a version just for amateurs. Each edition brought new energy, new faces, and new memories.

No exaggeration: Canestreet has become a true part of Jesi’s summer identity—and equally a part of our lives as organizers. It’s all thanks to Michele’s wild idea and the drive of a guy who keeps leading us on this crazy ride.

Side Projects, Big Lessions

Along the way, Canestreet became more than a tournament. It became my personal playground for experimentation.

The CaneScoreboard 🏀

In the early years, we didn’t have access to electronic scoreboards. So I built one.
The CaneScoreboard (github, live demo) is a simple web app connected to a Firebase backend that lets us display live scores, fouls, and time. One screen is in editor mode (for updates), the other in display mode (for the audience). Low-latency. Real-time. It may not be beautiful, but it works—and it feels amazing to see people rely on something you made with your own hands.

The Website — thecanestreet.it 🌐

I also created and maintained the website, which serves as our digital headquarters.
Built with WordPress, it includes sign-up forms, live brackets and results, sponsor visibility, and tournament rules. It may not be a full-blown platform, but it’s a living, evolving part of the project—and a place where I got to mix my coding, UX, and design skills.

The Instagram — @canestreet3x3 📸

Our Instagram page is where the vibes live.
I collaborate with friends who shoot photos, and I design infographics and announcements using tools like Canva and GIMP. Social media may not win tournaments, but it definitely brings people to them.

Canestreet started as a small neighborhood project. Today, it’s a city-wide celebration of basketball, friendship, and initiative. And for me, it’s been a personal lab—an experience that mixed creativity, technology, and community spirit in the best possible way. I can’t wait to see where it takes us next!