In continuation of the Elks Hoop Shoot 2024, the North District Hoop Shoot recently unfolded with zest and zeal in Johnstown on Saturday morning, drawing young basketball enthusiasts ages 8 to 13 from various cities and towns including two Longmont boys, Luke Bailey and Owen Reese.
Drawing a talented pool of young athletes who wanted to show their free throw abilities, the North District Hoop Shoot welcomed participants from a collection of towns, including Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Brighton, Fort Morgan and Akron.
The Hoop Shoot has been a tradition of the Elks for over 50 years nationally and 30 to 40 years in Longmont. With qualities like determination and resilience Reese, age 12, and Bailey, soon to be 10, had previously secured spots in this second round on Jan. 13 with Reese getting 21 out of 25 free throws, and Bailey with 13 successful shots.
Reese and Bailey persisted in their pursuit of triumph, setting their sights on earning a coveted position in the upcoming state competition next month. The tense and enthusiastic atmosphere resonated on a bigger stage in the gym of Riverview PK-8 with watchful eyes from friends of family from these surrounding towns.
A representative from the Loveland Elks 1051, known as The Sweetheart Lodge, addressed the audience at the onset of the competition. Providing valuable insights into the event’s logistics and scoring procedures, the speaker highlighted that participants undergo two rounds.
In the initial round, after a brief five-shot practice, nine contestants of each age group and gender take ten free throws, followed by a break. The intensity escalates in the second round, where participants face the challenge of shooting 15 free throws consecutively, contributing to a collective total of 25 shots.
“You don’t have to be the fastest, biggest or strongest athlete on the court. Just take one free throw after another. Practice and precision are the essence of this contest. You step up to that free throw line, and it levels the playing field. We are all equal at the free throw line,” the member conveyed.
In the 10 and 11 age category, Bailey achieved a 60% success rate in the initial round with his longest streak being three in a row. Moving on to the second round, Bailey shot six of 15, managing to hit four consecutive shots, resulting in a combined total of 12 successful shots out of 25 attempts.
Despite Bailey’s commendable efforts, he did not secure a first or second place position, and as a result, he will not progress to the state competition.
In the fiercely competitive 12 and 13 age division, Reese controlled the hoop, sinking an impressive seven out of ten shots in the first round, with a jaw-dropping streak of six in a row that left spectators in quiet awe. But the real showstopper came in the second round, where Reese delivered an absolute basketball spectacle by hitting a stellar 14 out of 15 shots. Not to mention, he showcased not one but two sensational shooting streaks, draining an incredible six in a row and an unbelievable eight in a row, turning the court into a stage for pure hoops excellence.
Incredibly, even with that sensational performance, it wasn’t enough to clinch the top spot. The silent intensity soared as Reese dove into a tiebreaker challenge with five more baskets to settle the score. And guess what? He rose to the occasion, outshooting the competition by sinking four out of five baskets, including two sets of two in a row.
Reese is now geared up for the next showdown at the state competition in Salida on Feb. 24. The stakes are higher, the competition fiercer, as he prepares to go head-to-head with the best in the state, representing not just Longmont and the north district, but the spirit of every gritty young athlete who’s ever stepped up to the free throw line.
