Flathead Lake 3 on 3 nets 285 teams
Linda Sappington
Conner Woodill crashes the hoop in fine form to earn a first-place finish in the slam dunk contest — and $1,000.
Linda Sappington
Brittany Earnest shoots 3-pointers to win $200.
Linda Sappington
Anthony Camel made 10 three-point shots in 60 seconds to win the men's contest and $200.
Linda Sappington
Morning Stars’ Kooper Page, left, wrestles Miami Sunshine’s Megan Rost for possession of the ball.
Linda Sappington
Ali Hupka of Miami Sunshine dribbles past Macao Jackson of the Morning Stars.
Linda Sappington
Miami Sunshine, in their first 3 on 3 appearance, was coached by Polson teacher Mark Rochin.
Linda Sappington
Sean Hayward of the Flying Guillotines battles the Outlaws' J.J. Tanner of Ronan in Saturday’s round one of the Flathead Lake 3 on 3.
Linda Sappington
Former Los Angeles Lakers’ Michael Cooper entertained the crowd.
Linda Sappington
The side streets of downtown Polson were bustling with ball players Saturday and Sunday.
Linda Sappington
Hoops take a break after Saturday's games. A total of 683 were played during the 3 on 3 event.
Linda Sappington
A slam dunk contender pulls out the stops as he leaps over a volunteer obstacle.
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Montanans love their basketball — an obvious conclusion with one look at downtown Polson this past weekend.
The 21st annual Flathead Lake 3 on 3 basketball tournament brought 285 teams to the hot asphalt streets for two days, playing 683 games on 24 half-courts.
Teams ranged in age and ability, from 10-year-old girls to co-ed teams to the “elite” men’s category.
Dressed in sherbet shades of orange and yellow tie-dye — including socks — Miami Sunshine played their first ever 3 on 3 basketball game Saturday morning.
Polson schoolteacher Mark Rochin coached the team of 10-year-old girls. Huddling the quartet of pre-teens after their first loss, Rochin only had words of encouragement.
“Are we going to win the next game?” he asked.
Four heads shook “no.”
“Yes!” he replied.
But later in the afternoon, the Morning Stars handed the rookies their second loss. Still, they fought hard, had fun and gained loads of experience.
On the other end of the scale, The Flying Guillotines of Missoula barely ousted the Outlaws, a team of local men. Despite an impressive three-pointer by Ronan’s J.J. Tanner at the horn, the locals fell 16-15. Shaking hands with the winners after their loss, Tanner, Sheldon Fisher of Polson and Calvin Shepard and Nakota McDonald of St. Ignatius said they are just happy they get to play again.
As the sun dipped behind gathering clouds, crowds gathered above the river for Saturday night’s three-point shooting and slam-dunk contests.
Brittany Earnest of Missoula earned “overall bragging rights,” according to organizer Rich Forbis, after she out shot Anthony Camel, the three-point winner in the men’s category, in a just-for-fun match. Camel opened the men’s contest with 10 treys in just one minute, and held his lead over top qualifiers. Both Earnest and Camel earned $200 for their skills.
Style is key in the subjective slam-dunk competition. Connor Woodill, a Missoula Hellgate High grad and University of Montana Western ball player, won the event and $1,000. Four judges, including former Los Angeles Lakers great Michael Cooper, scored the contest. Cooper also helped pass the time between contests by pulling random audience members out to the court, calling them out for not clapping, and attempting to make them dance. They couldn’t return to their seats until they had shared a “high-five,” a tall order with the six-foot, five-inch, long-armed celebrity.
Overall, the hoop fest went off without a hitch.
“This year was fantastic, one of the smoothest ones,” Forbis said. “Everything worked well, with minimal injuries, and everyone had fun.”
Behind the scenes, 10 volunteers keep the portable hoops in top shape, and Steve Woll and Les Rice, Olen Paulson of the Mission Valley 3 on 3 events assist with the bracketing.
“They do a terrific job,” Forbis said.
With 21 years of experience organizing the contest, Forbis and volunteers will take a time out before planning begins in the fall for the 2014 event.
2013 Flathead Lake 3 on 3 Results
5-6 Grade Boys
1- Tropics
2- Wild Ice
3- Pirates
5-6 Grade Girls
1- Just Do It
2- Sparks
3- Lights Out
7-8 Grade Boys
1- Flathead Jazz
2- Cor12 Talons
3- Spokane Ballers
7-8 Grade Girls
1- Zootown Dream Team
2- Zoula
3- Valley Edge
9-10 Grade Boys
1- TMNT
2- Hoop Schoolm 2
3- The Shadows
9-10 Grade Girls
1- Wolf Pack
2- Orange & Black Attack
3- The Ron’s
11-12 Grade Boys
1- Smokin’ Joes
2- Dillon
3- Caucasian Invasion
11-12 Grade Girls
1- Montana Mix
2- Triple TKA
3- Make it Drizzle
Co-Ed
1- The Chimney Builders
2- The Lover Bees
3- Bear, Bobcat & Bulldog
Womens A
1- Just Put it In
2- Dub Step
3- Trout Slayers
Womens B
1- Zootown
2- Team Klacie Mathies
3- Strokin It
Open Recreational
1- TJ Yahtzee
2- White Grass
3- Team Sherwood
6’1 Under Elite
1- Desert Horse
2- Tall Day
3- The Lakers
Open Elite
1- Desert Horse
2- Bulldog Squad
3- The Penetrators
6’1 & Under Open
1- Rezz Dogs
2- Hoop School
3- Team Sansavere
3 Point Shoot Women
Brittany Earnest $200
3 Point Shoot Men
Anthony Camel $200
Slam Dunk
Conner Woodill $1,000
