Students place at state hoop shoot

Following their award-winning appearance at a district-level competition in late January, two Mountain Home students became some of the state's top basketball sharpshooters during a yearly competition held Saturday in Grangeville.

Regan McDaniel from Mountain Home Junior High School finished third in her division while Sean Jackson from Hacker Middle School placed in his division at the state hoop shoot tournament.

During the day, both teens faced off against their peers from communities in Idaho's north, north central, east, south central and south districts.

Regan McDaniel and Sean Jackson pose for a photo with representatives from the state hoop shoot tournament following this year's event. McDaniel finished third in her age category with Jackson placing in his division.

Hosted locally by Mountain Home Elks Lodge 2276, the annual competition required participants to sink free-throws baskets with the hoop distance shortened for younger participants. The winners in each age category are based on the total number of baskets made.

This level of competition was the fourth step in the journey to this year's national-level finals.

"These 30 kids were the best of approximately 34,000 kids that participate annually in the program," said local hoop shoot chairman Larry Fincher. "It doesn't matter where the kids finish in the competition as they all give their very best where rejoicing and sadness are the results of the day."

In addition, these students get the opportunity to meet others from across the state "where sportsmanship and camaraderie is the theme of the day and the chance to make new friends," Fincher added.

Following the tournament, the students and their families finished the day with a banquet and pool party before heading home on Sunday.

Idaho's winners in each age bracket now head to Portland where they will competition in the regional-level hoop shoot next month with those winners heading to the nationals, scheduled for April in Chicago.

"We encourage the kids to never give up as it has happened in Mountain Home," Fincher said regarding the students from town that made it to the national finals.

"Keep practicing and shoot for the stars as we will see you again next year," he added.