WALLACE — More than 130 basketball players of all ages packed Kirby Krulitz Court at Wallace Jr./Sr. High School for the inaugural Silver Valley Hoops 4 Hope 4-on-4 Tournament.

Event founder Mike Little was blown away by the turnout, especially considering he and his crew put the entire event together in roughly two months. But that wasn’t the biggest story to come out of the one-day tournament. 

It was the generosity of players, businesses and fans that left Little at a loss for words. 

Little said he hasn’t quite finished counting yet, but preliminary numbers show Silver Valley Hoops 4 Hope raised roughly $10,000 for cancer support and research. 

To understand why that matters, it helps to revisit why Little created the tournament in the first place. 

A few months ago, Little’s sister, Shannon Bryant, was diagnosed with breast cancer. After receiving the devastating news, he began brainstorming ways to help beyond the typical ways a family rallies around a loved one. One night, he had an idea. 

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning, Little and a group of guys get together at a gym in Kellogg to play. So why not organize something similar on a much larger scale? 

Sticking with the breast cancer awareness theme, they dubbed the tournament: Buckets for Boobies. 

“I thought this was the best way,” Little said. “We wanted to create something cool.” 

And “cool” may be an understatement. As teams began arriving — some as early as 7 a.m. — the gym quickly filled with players and spectators. The 4-on-4 format marked a shift from the more common 3-on-3 style that dominates similar community tournaments, including Silver Hoops and Hoopfest. 

Little said the reason was because “he was old and didn’t want to have to cover that much space.” It also allowed teams to bring five players, creating more opportunities for participation and exposure. 

The first event is always the hardest, but feedback from players and spectators was largely positive, with only a few minor suggestions. 

Owen Roach, a junior at Kellogg High School, played in the tournament’s men’s division. While his team didn’t make a deep run, he thought the tournament was nearly perfect. 

“It never felt like there wasn't something going on, even during the break for the dunk contest," he said.

Lisa Reed, whose Mom-Zilla team won the women’s division, called the event “the perfect way to kick off Mother’s Day weekend.”

“What a great tourney and great turnout for a great cause,” Reed said. 

Little plans to make the tournament an annual event. 

“Lots of great feedback, indoors, one-day tournament, interesting but good format, great cause,” he said. “I think the mission was accomplished; we raised a lot of money and just to bless others was an overly selfless effort by all.” 

The money raised will be split evenly, with 50% going to the Shoshone Cancer Resource Center and the other half going to a special person in need. This year, Bryant will be the recipient. Each year, Little plans to choose someone new in hopes of touching as many lives as possible. 

“Her (Bryant) strength and faith through all of this inspired me to do something bigger,” Little said. “This event is much more than basketball; it’s about our community.” 

    AJ Bennett (in blue) cuts off Kyle Mann as he drives to the basket during Silver Valley Hoops 4 Hope men's division game. The two teams met later in the championship, with Bennett's team taking home the champion's T-shirt.