Hoopfest Takeaways Part One
The 30th year of Spokane Hoopfest is in the books! Hoopfest is the largest 3-on-3 tournament in the world. It features 6,000 teams, 3,000 volunteers, 225,000 fans, and 450 courts that span 45 city blocks. It is a time-honored tradition…
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Continue ReadingThe 30th year of Spokane Hoopfest is in the books! Hoopfest is the largest 3-on-3 tournament in the world. It features 6,000 teams, 3,000 volunteers, 225,000 fans, and 450 courts that span 45 city blocks. It is a time-honored tradition for local North Idaho guys to test their skills in this yearly contest of talent, grit, determination, and physicality. 3-on-3, half-court basketball can show skills that are different from what you would see in a conventional 5-on-5 setting. If you struggle on defense, it will show. If you struggle to create your own shot, you will not be able to hide your struggles for long. If you cannot embrace the physicality of the weekend, you will not be playing deep into the tournament. It is the ultimate test of resolve and requires the perfect blend of mental and physical toughness. As such, here is part one of our takeaways from some of the North Idaho guys.
Joel Sovereign- Class of 2019, Christian Center School
– Joel has an ideal skill set for a tournament like Hoopfest. His teammates were able to get him the ball with his back to the basketball at the 10-15 foot range and let him go to work against smaller opponents. During the course of the tournament, he was able to knock down mid-range jump shots, make smart decisions out of double teams, finish around the basket over size, and has a pretty shot from the corner three-point line. Additionally, Joel was able to put himself in the correct position to compete for those hard-earned rebounds that so often determine the outcome of games. During his senior year in 2019 at CCS, Joel was an All-League player in the Mountain Christian League and projects as a strong stretch four in the right college program.
Jakob Peterson- Class of 2020, Genesis Prep
– Jakob has fully embraced the lightening quick release shot of modern basketball. He had the quickest three-point release that I saw all weekend. His talent as a shooter commanded the attention of opposing defenses. A talented passer, Jakob was able to use the added defensive attention and frequent double teams that came his way to create easy opportunities for his teammates. He has excellent ball handling ability and court vision. Combining those talents with his shooting potential makes Jakob a compelling point guard prospect to watch. Going into his senior year for the 2020 season, Jakob will continue playing for 1A powerhouse, Genesis Prep.
Ben Zubaly- Class of 2020, Lakeland
– Ben is a lock-down perimeter defender plain and simple. When he is on the court, his presence as an on-the-ball defender is palpable. Ben thrived in the physical environment of basketball on the streets. On offense, he was able to absorb contact while finishing tough layups. He relentlessly attacked the lane while fearlessly playing through contact. If you are playing that style of basketball, you better be a good free throw shooter as well as a clutch free throw shooter; Ben proved that he could take and make big free throws. In doing so, he further punished the opposition for fouling him. During the 2019 season, Ben was a 4A All-League player.
Ben Postell- Class of 2020, Moscow
– Of all the ways there are to win at Hoopfest, one of the best is having a 6’7” left-handed, athletic post player. Ben Postell is that guy. He can finish strong going to his left, has a solid spin move in the post, understands how to use his height to be in the correct position to get rebounds, but he is still in the process of developing his ability to score with his right hand around the basket. With all of those things in mind, any list of the top big men in Idaho going into the 2019-2020 season has to have Ben on it. At Hoopfest, Ben and his teammates finished second in their bracket. He is a compelling player with exciting college basketball potential. As a junior in 2019, Ben was an All-League 4A recipient.
Check out Part Two of our Hoopfest coverage here!