Streets around the Oregon State Capitol will be closed beginning Monday at 6:00 pm, as organizers of the annual Hoopla Basketball tournament begin setting up hoops and line the roadways for the big tournament on Monday night and most of the day Tuesday, July 26th. The streets being closed for Hoopla include State, Court, Winter and Cottage streets.
What started as a three-on-three event has since added a 2-on-2 bracket, and this year, a 1-on-1 event to its total of 21 tournament brackets/divisions as part of the basketball happening.
An estimated 1,000-plus teams, 4,000 or more participants, and about 900 volunteers will be on hand Hoopla, which runs from July 25-30 on the streets surrounding the Oregon State Capitol.
"Each year we have a renewed energy and focus to continue to bring all involved a first-class event,” said long-time Tournament Director Jason Unruh in a Hoopla press release.
“This year is no different, and we have some very exciting things in store.”
In addition to the new 1-on-1 competition, Hoopla is also continuing its offerings to special-needs competitors with an expanded Unified basketball clinic event that includes both high schoolers, and this year, middle schoolers. The Unified Middle School Clinic is set for 10 am Wednesday, July 26th, while the High School Clinic is 10 am on Thursday, July 27th.
Friday, July 28th begins extended activities for the event—with a free kids’ clinic at 10:00 am, followed by initial check-in for Hoopla teams at the Salem YMCA on Court Street from 11 am to 7 pm. The 2-on-2 tourney starts at 2:00 pm, running until 8:30 at night. There are also 3-point, free throw and 2-ball contests that run from 11 am to 7 pm.
Saturday, July 29th marks the start-up of the main Hoopla event with check-in at 6:30 am, followed by opening ceremonies at 7:45. 3-on-3 tournament games start at 8:00 am and run all day. Other events like finals in Friday events will be held during the day.
Sunday, July 30th includes the final push of 3-on-3 tournament games from 8 am to 4 pm. During the course of the weekend (Sat-Sunday) hustle and sportsmanship awards will be presented all day.
One wrinkle in the set-up of the street courts for this edition of Hoopla is the relocation of the championship venue from Court Street, where it has been since the event began, to State Street, which does provide a larger measure of shade from surrounding trees and takes games away from capitol seismic construction work. Another change is the relocation of the sponsor hospitality area from the Capitol Mall to the roof of the new YMCA building, which was opened earlier this year.
Do check the Hoopla website for more details at https://www.oregonhoopla.com.
One additional note: Last year, Gilman on Sports was planning to chat with Mike McShane and Thalo Green—teammates on South Salem’s 1996 state championship basketball team—about their long-awaited reunion at Hoopla. Sadly, Green came down with an undisclosed illness and had to stay at home in Australia, where he was a longtime professional player.
Instead, a story was done on McShane, who has decided to stay put in the Salem-Keizer area, coaching the girls basketball varsity team at McNary High School. Looking to follow up on last year’s abandoned storyline at this year’s tournament.
Stay tuned.
Brown is now a pro baseballer
Former South Salem hurler Ryan Brown has officially departed from Oregon State to play professional baseball.
The redshirt sophomore had two years of eligibility left with the Beavers, but at age 22, chose instead to pursue a major league career. Ryan signed Saturday with Oakland Athletics—who chose him in the 16thround of the amateur draft, 466th overall.
Brown was Oregon State’s closer out of the bullpen. He pitched in 56 games in his career, all in relief. His overall record was 9-4, with a 3.90 ERA. He struck out a total of 76 batters, and held opponents to a .231 average in 67 innings. He was sixth overall in career saves for the Beavers, with 20 during his time in Corvallis.
Ryan was one of twenty players who signed with the Athletics over the last several days. Few details were available on the terms of Brown’s contract with Oakland, but he did receive a $140,000 signing bonus from the A’s. He is expected to report to the Oakland Rookie League team in Arizona.
Good luck to Ryan.
Ironman70.3 footnotes
Salem’s Ironman 70.3 Oregon triathlon is in the books. Thousands of competitors raced all around the greater Salem area, swimming in the Willamette River, running through Minto Brown Island Park, and biking on local streets and out to the Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge south of Salem.
The event created a few traffic detours, but went smoothly as far as organizers were concerned.
Winners of the men’s and women’s categories were: for the men, Lionel Sanders nabbed the title, with an official time of three hours, thirty-three minutes, and thirty-seven seconds (3:33:37). On the women’s side, Danielle Lewis was the victor—posting a time of three hours, fifty-nine minutes, and forty-one seconds (3:59:41).
Despite the summer heat, no major health problems were reported concerning competitors, although some were treated for heat-related maladies during the Ironman.
Expect another herd of triathletes back in Salem next summer.
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