Sandpoint Future 6th Grade Boys win season-opening tournament
Bonner County Daily Bee | UPDATED 1 week, 2 days AGO
The Sandpoint Future 6th Grade Boys basketball team holds up their Washington State Middle School Basketball Championships qualifier poster after going an undefeated 3-0 to take first place at the Dribble Dash tournament held Nov. 15 and 16 at North Central High in Spokane.
(Courtesy Photo)
SPOKANE — The Sandpoint Future 6th Grade Boys basketball team went an undefeated 3-0 to take first place at the Dribble Dash tournament — their first tournament of the winter season — held Nov. 15 and 16 at North Central High.
Sandpoint put on quite the performance in the championship match with a 64-point tally. The win gave them an automatic bid to the 13th annual Washington State Middle School Basketball Championships, set to be held March 20 through 22 at The Podium in Spokane.
In the win, Harper Fields put together a team-high 25 points, hitting five three-pointers in the first half to give the team a jump start. Grayson Frey, already standing at a height of 6 feet 2 inches, held down the paint with a double-double of 24 points and 16 rebounds. Emerson Marshall facilitated the offense, posting nine points, including a perfect effort from the foul line, and six assists compared to zero turnovers. Will Hawn rounded out the stellar offensive play by shooting 100% from the field, including a fadeaway jumper that put icing on the cake.
As impressive as the offense was, the game was won of the defensive end, with Rowin Macdonald taking his assignment with grit and tenacity, shutting down the opponent's best offensive player. Mac Driggs showcased his high basketball IQ as he pulled down seven of his nine rebounds on the defensive glass. The team is also excited about newcomer Leo Delucchi, an impressively accurate shooter who has put in a ton of work leading up to the season.
Head coach Ashleigh Mire said her squad trusts and plays for one another. They calls themselves a "fourth-quarter team."
"This team is going to make noise this season," coach Mire noted. "We have all the right pieces in place for this team to see a lot of success. Our identity is defined in the things we can control — how we respond to adversity, how we show up for one another, how hard we condition, our effort on the defensive end. If our opponent thinks we are tough to compete with in the first three quarters, wait until we come out in that fourth quarter."
Catch the Sandpoint Future 6th Grade Boys basketball team back in action when they head to The Warehouse Turkey Shoot set to be held Nov. 29 and 30 at The Hub Sports Center in Liberty Lake and at The Warehouse Athletic Facility and Gonzaga Prep High in Spokane.