Local basketball tourney winner qualifies for state

Friday, February 3, 2012
Marcus Egusquiza advanced to the state finals after he won Saturday's regional event.

Two weeks after he won in his respective division in Mountain Home, a local student will face the state's best during the annual Elks Lodge Hoop Shoot competition.

Marcus Egusquiza sank 22 out of 25 baskets during Saturday's regional competition to advance to the state finals, which begin Feb. 11 in Rupert.

The regional event in Nampa included first-place winners from lodges in Mountain Home, Boise, Nampa, Caldwell and Weiser.

"Just to give you an idea of the level of competition, just this year over 1,500 kids started out at the school and local levels from these five lodges to make it to district," said Larry Fincher, who heads up the local basketball event for Elks Lodge 2276 in Mountain Home.

During this weekend's event, Jazzi Cristobal finished second overall in the girls' 10- to 11-year age bracket. Others representing Mountain Home included Sable Lohmeier, Gabriel Magana, Adtison Clark and George Ortiz.

"All of the kids did their very best and we are so proud of all of them," Fincher said. "They are winners, no doubt about it."

The yearly hoop shoot started several weeks ago as students from the Base Primary, East, North and West Elementary schools, Hacker Middle School and the junior high school vied for first-place honors. The qualifiers then met Jan. 14 in hopes of going on to the regional event.

"The process of going forward can be so rewarding for the kids involved if for nothing else but the community pride," Fincher said.

By time a student competes at the national finals, they would've bested an estimated three million children that originally try out during the initial phase of the yearly event, according to Fincher.

"The level of competition gets harder and harder as they advance," he added. "They are among faces they don't recognize, and the silence can be nerve racking. You can see their nervousness in their faces and body language."

As each child makes a shot, it's tough to see who is more nervous, the challengers or those supporting them, according to Fincher.

"It seems those of us in the bleachers are holding our breath each shoot," he added.

In Egusquiza's case, his first-place finish was just one basket ahead of his closest challenger. Others in the 12- to 13-year boys' bracket sank 19 and 20 baskets respectively.

The competition doesn't get much closer than this, Fincher said.

For Egusquiza, a previous state finalist, Saturday's event marked a milestone of sorts since he will be too old to compete again next year.

"We wish him the best of luck and maybe even on to Portland for regional (finals) and then Massachusetts for national," Fincher said.

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