Silverdale 3-on-3 tourney shoots, scores

While rain kept big crowds away and kept the courts slick, it couldn’t keep the ballers and shot callers from hoopin’ it up Silverdale style.

Nearly 40 teams turned out in six divisions to make the first Silverdale 3-on-3 Shoot-Out a success despite clouds and rain that hung overhead throughout the weekend at Silverdale Beach Hotel. The event was presented by the hotel and Westsound Printing.

“The weather didn’t help,” event organizer Chris Koebelin said. “But everyone was great sports.”

Koebelin, also general manager at the hotel, said while overall turnout wasn’t as high as he was hoping, the event was still successful.

“It was a great turnout,” he said. “I wish we had more teams. But we did have a lot of last-minute guys.”

But even to participants, the event ran much smoother than most start-ups.

“It was pretty good,” Olympic College forward Mike Simpkins said. “Usually it’s hard for the first year. But they did a pretty good job with doing everything. I’m definitely coming back next year, that’s for sure.”

Simpkins, a 2006 CK grad, entered a team that was eliminated, but that didn’t stop him from taking the slam dunk contest crown, including against former CK player Bryce Brooks, now at Sacred Heart University.

“It was pretty tight,” Simpkins said. “Bryce was in it too. It was fun. Everyone had fun.”

But even better than going against players from the area he knew in activities like the dunk contest was playing them on the court.

“We’re all playing against each other,” he said. “It’s pretty fun.”

In the Men’s Competitive play, it was the K Town team of former Cougars Glen Perkins and Nick Arena, along with Jordan Coursey, that won.

In Women’s Competitive action, former CK Coug and Bremerton Knight Kayla Bennett teamed up with Knights Patricia Lewis, Alisha Lindsay and Jessica Bollinger to form Old School, and take the division crown.

CK got more strong representation out of the High School Division, which saw the Krew, made up of Isaiah Thompson, Brandon Durham, Kyle Erickson and Matt Wain, win.

The 8 Ballers won the Men’s Recreational crown behind the play of Todd Rondell, Chill Hawkins, George Washington and Colton West. They were coached by Thurmon Young.

In the 6, 7, 8 Grade Division, the Rebels won thanks to Trent Gallagher, Andrew Shadle, CJ Encomienda and Conner Wales. Air One, featuring Kendall Gill, Logan Green and Jackson Sutter, won the 4, 5 Grade Division.

In addition to Simpkins’ dunk contest win, his teammate at the tourney, Trivone Curry, won the three-point contest. Eric Harrison Jr. won the Turn Shoot Turn competition.

While things did run smoothly, with winners receiving trophies and all participants getting T-shirts and water bottles, Koebelin said there’s still some things to iron out before next year.

“We have some kinks to work out,” he said. “It was our first year trying this out. For us, the big key is having a lot more volunteers.”

And while the event, which also featured information booths, food vendors, kids activities and more, including video games, was successful, Koebelin said he has no plans to get complacent, adding that eventually he hopes it’s big enough for the Silverdale Chamber of Commerce to take an interest in.

“We really want to make this a big thing out here,” he said. “I think it could be huge.”

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