Hot August Hoops grows in second year
Aug. 6—The Hoopfest 3-on-3 basketball tournament in Spokane has become a staple of the summer in the Inland Northwest. Lewiston's Hot August Hoops isn't quite on that level, but, if the 2023 iteration of it is any indication, it's only going to grow.
The second annual Hot August Hoops 3-on-3 basketball tournament was held on Saturday in the Lewiston Tribune Plaza. The event was an all-ages tournament, with teams ranging from third grade all the way to adults.
"It's fun to see the people — all the different age brackets," said Scott McClure, athletic director of the Boys and Girls Club of the Lewis-Clark Valley, which helped put on the event. "There was a buzz this morning. It's fun. Most of the time the players — they take it seriously, but they don't take it too seriously. So, they're having fun, we're having fun."
McClure also volunteered as a referee during the tournament.
Hot August Hoops also saw significant growth from 2022 to 2023. Almost twice as many teams signed up for the tournament and there were more hoops and makeshift courts for the teams to play on.
The location of the event helped the atmosphere of the tournament. Last year the games were spread along Main Street. This year the event was centralized to the Tribune Plaza and a small section of D Street between the Plaza parking lot and the Lewiston City Library.
"Almost twice as many teams this year," Rick Huddleston of 105.1 FM said. "It's crazy. Also, it's only 74 degrees and last year it was about 87 at this point ... so the weather's way better. Last year it was spread all the way down (Main Street), it was just too far apart, now it's compacted down to the parking lot ... that makes it a lot easier to see just how many people show up for this."
The two closest 3-on-3 basketball tournaments in the region are the aforementioned Hoopfest in Spokane, a two-hour drive from Lewiston, and the SilverHoops tournament in Kellogg, which is a two-hour-and-forty-minute drive from Lewiston.
For interested participants located in the valley, whether it's parents looking to sign up their kids who are looking for a fun and competitive activity for the summer, or adults looking to get some games going with their buddies, having a tournament in the valley helps with thoses options.
"I think it's a great thing." said Nate Bailey, one of the adult participants. "I don't think there's enough of this that happens here in Lewiston. You can tell from the turnout today — yeah, I think it's a great thing ... Things like this take consistency, and if it continues, it's only going to continue to get bigger."
Adam Forsmann, a parent and a coach to his son's 3-on-3 team at the tournament, was another adamant voice about the benefit of having an event like Hot August Hoops in Lewiston, especially for the younger kids.
"3-on-3 is a totally different game than organized 5-on-5," Forsmann said. "It teaches different skills and it's really great for the kids."
Forsmann's squad was involved in a competitive game earlier in the day that was decided by just one point, and expanded on an event that maintained a competitive atmosphere while emphasizing the kids had fun.
The growth of the event in just a year's time is a good sign for it to continue in the future. And with the increased turnout on Saturday with the encouraging words from the players, referees and coaches, it would seem to be a welcome decision.
Kowatsch can be contacted at 208-848-2268, tkowatsch@lmtribune.com or on Twitter @Teren_Kowatsch.
