POLSON — Roughly 200 people turned out for the first Chubby Chicks Basketball for Heart game at Linderman Elementary on Friday, April 13, with the event proving to be a huge success thanks to the generosity of the community.

A check for $2,137 was presented to Bill Matthews of the American Heart Association late in the game, but donations kept rolling in and, eventually, the total eclipsed $2,600.

“I thought the event was fantastic,” organizer Shelley Croft said. “We didn’t know what to expect, but we were thrilled.”

The Bloodclotters led the Defibrillators 4-1 after the first quarter, but the Defibrillators rallied to take an 11-10 halftime lead. After a lively halftime that saw a tumbling display and a pop shoot that helped raise more money for the cause, the teams opened up the scoreboard to donations, meaning spectators could buy points, a dollar apiece, for either of the teams. The ball got rolling in the third when the Bloodclotters took a 51-44 lead after the quarter, but that paled in comparison to the fourth period when the crowd and teams battled back and forth to combine for 275 points as, appropriately, the teams ended in a 185-185 tie.

“The ladies were excited, the crowd had a great time and I don’t think they really knew what to expect either,” Croft said. “I can’t wait until next year.”