It was my fourth year of competing in the world’s largest 3-on-3-basketball tournament in Spokane last weekend.
Hoopfest is an addiction. This year, the tournament attracted an unprecedented 6,700 teams. That’s about 25,000 players, not including the spectators and general public. All in all, we’re talking about more than 200,000 people. It’s a sporting spectacle that continues to grow each year.
I’ve had a competitive spirit since I was a little boy. It comes from my life-long involvement in sports. So, each year, I make the five-hour trip to Eastern Washington with the sole intent of winning a Hoopfest championship.
Unfortunately, our team fell short, finishing 3-2 in the 16-team, double-elimination bracket.
I played with two of my good friends from high school. We’d played together a number of times, so I figured we had a shot at winning.
But if there’s one thing Hoopfest brings out, it’s intensity, and having too much of it can negatively affect your team.
Our first game reminded me of a Jerry Springer episode. There was more trash-talking and bickering than basketball the first 10 minutes.
While my team may have been more talented, we came out flat. We struggled to play as a cohesive unit. Our opponents jumped out to a 7-0 lead.
After our nerves settled down, we mounted a comeback. We tied the game 14-14 with less than a minute to play.
Then they nailed a 3-pointer with just seconds remaining. We were sent directly to the loser’s bracket, which meant we had to work twice as hard to advance to the championship.
If you like basketball and have an interest in winning, Hoopfest is the ultimate experience. Your adrenaline skyrockets just before each game.
And while sinking the game-winning basket is the ultimate experience, watching the final basket fall through the net against you can be the ultimate letdown.
There is no in between.
Clearly, losing our first game was disappointing. We had to rebound during the following two games in order to remain alive for Sunday’s action.
Thankfully, we came out like a totally different team the second game. After 15 minutes, the game was over. Our attitudes on the court had changed. The Manitou Ballers had played as a cohesive unit and won its first game at Hoopfest.
Winning each year feels different. For some reason, competing there and being victorious has a greater feeling. So what if it’s just a basketball game on the downtown streets of Spokane.
Knowing people have traveled in from around the country — and even the globe — puts winning on a freakish scale.
So, with the first win under our belts, I could see the confidence building in the Manitou Ballers. After a couple attitude problems on the court, we corrected a good portion of our frustration by winning the third game by a considerable margin.
Whether you win the championship or are simply eliminated, Hoopfest is an event I will continue to participate in. Just walking around and observing the other teams is fun to do.
We didn’t win this year, but there’s always next year.
Keep your last weekend of June open, because that’s when the family-filled event begins.
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