Hot Hoops
Flathead Lake 3-on-3 marks 25th anniversary
Rob Zolman
Deon McLaughlin flies through the air during the slam dunk competition.
Rob Zolman
Competitors battle for a rebound.
Rob Zolman
Closed Polson streets were full of 3-on-3 basketball action.
Rob Zolman
A young ball player grabs a cool snack after a game.
Rob Zolman
Rob Zolman
Rob Zolman
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Flathead Lake 3-on-3 marks 25th anniversary
By Rob Zolman
Valley Journal
POLSON – While other tournaments have come and gone, this past weekend the Flathead Lake 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament celebrated its 25th anniversary - marking this hoops event as Montana’s longest running 3-on-3 basketball tournament.
“I think the event went really well this year,” volunteer Mackenzie Forbis said.
The tournament known for tough, physical play drew about 250 teams and more than 1,000 spectators.
Fifteen bracket champions were named after two days of heated 3-on-3 street basketball.
The team called Pine Martens won the adult co-ed division over No Name, Just Game. Tire Depot won the women’s open bracket over Fab Four, and in the largest division, the men’s open recreational championship went to Size Matters with a victory over Tire Depot.
On Saturday night, fans were treated to a three-point and slam dunk contest. Rylee Clark displayed her long-range shooting skills by winning the ladies three-point shooting contest, while Deon McLaughlin out dunked Zak Wright in the final to win the slam dunk title.
All proceeds of the event benefit local projects and organizations.
2017 Flathead Lake 3-on-3 division winners:
Boys 5th-6th Grade- 1st place Iron Horse, 2nd Place C’mon Man, 3rd Place That’s What’s up
Girls 5th-6th Grade- 1st Place Thunder,
2nd Place Zootown Dynamite
Boys 7th-8th Grade- 1st Place Smores Boys, 2nd Place Outlaws, 3rd Place Ball Brothers
Girls 7th-8th Grade-1st Place Butte Lady Irish, 2nd Place Herders, 3rd Place Zoola Flight
High School Male 9th-10th Grade-1st Place The Dream Team, 2nd Place Half & Half, 3rd Place Fluffy Bunnies
High School Female 9th-10th Grade-1st Place Keepin’ the Dream, 2nd Place TTMA, 3rd Place That One Team
High School Male 11th-12th Grade- 1st Place Random Name, 2nd Place Marcy Marc and The Funky Bunch, 3rd Place Cowboys
High School Female 11th-12th Grade- 1st Place Saucy, 2nd Place Boolin, 3rd Place Hoops! We Did It Again
High School CoEd- 1st Place Step Dads, 2nd Place Average Joes, 3rd Place Vicious and Delicious
Female Open- 1st Place Tire Depot, 2nd Place Fab Four, 3rd Place Tire Depot Ladies
Adult CoEd- 1st Place Pine Martens, 2nd Place No Name, Just Game, 3rd Place Bloodline
6’1 & Under Elite-1st Place 2001, 2nd Place Desert Horse, 3rd Place Piikani Miistaakiiks
6’1 & Under Recreational- 1st Place Poi Time, 2nd Place Butte Rats, 3rd Place Stealth
Men’s Open Elite- 1st Place Black Swarm, 2nd Place Newdle
Men’s Open Recreational- 1st Place Size Matters, 2nd Place Tire Depot, 3rd Place Smokin’ Joes
