Area long-bombers claim titles win 3-point titles

By Sean Eamon - 03/29/2008

Sean Eamon Montana Standard Anaconda’s Ali Hurley goes up for a shot during the 2008 Wayne Estes Tournament 3-point Contest. She went on to win the women’s title edging out former Anacondan Cash Connors.

ANACONDA — Area shooters claimed the trifecta in the 24th Annual Wayne Estes 3-point Competition on Friday night.

Anaconda’s Ali Hurley, Harrison’s Ryan McCarty and Western Montana guard Chad Myers topped the competition before squaring off against one another to determine the overall long-distance champion.

It all took place in front of a good-sized crowd of a few hundred fans and players at the Memorial Gym.

Myers’ hot streak continued in his fourth time around the arc as the Western Montana junior put up 17 points in the finals to triumph over McCarty’s nine and Hurley’s seven.

Hurley won the women’s title in a championship battle against former Anacondian and current Southern Utah wing Cash Connors. Future Grizzly Hurley sank 13 points in the title effort.

After posting the all-time career scoring mark in Anaconda High history and winning a state championship earlier this year, the 3-point title was one of the few things Hurley hadn’t accomplished yet.

“It’s pretty cool,” Hurley said afterwards. “I thought there would be more girls.”

Connors kept up with Hurley’s pace in the first round netting 12 points, but couldn’t quite hit the mark like Hurley in the final round. Only four women competed in the shootout.

“Cash is a really good player and a great shooter,” Hurley said. “I had an advantage, though. She didn’t warm up.”

Anaconda sophomore Torry Hill wasn’t on hand to defend her title.

In the boys’ high school division, two underclassmen went head-to-head for the title.

Corvallis marksman Rodee Anderson and Harrison Wildcat Ryan McCarty went at it with McCarty emerging with a 14-12 win.

The lanky 15-year old took a seat in the crowd after winning and then found

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out that he had to go against the other winners as well.

“This is pretty crazy,” McCarty said. “I’ve never shot from a rack before. It takes a lot more stamina than I thought.”

The men’s competition had a dozen long-distance specialists vying for the title, including the past three titleists.

After the first round, four finalists finished with at least 14 points. They included Utah State alum Myron Sims, Spokane’s Joe Hodges and Western Montana Bulldogs Josh Keller and Chad Myers.

Myers and Hodges both finished with 18 points and went at it one more time to decide the men’s champion.

Myers stayed true and had his best round of the night sinking 21 points for the title. Myers’ rhythm continued into the champions’ round where he beat both Hurley and McCarty.

“He’s a very good shooter,” Hodges said of Myers.

Hodges had one of the best offensive games of the tournament just before the 3-point shootout scoring 46 points.

After the event, Myers gave credit to each of his opponents.

“There were a lot of good shooters and I was just on,” he said.

Defending champ Jared Smithson hit 12 in the opening round and was two short of making the cut. Two-time champion Rochi Estes also struggled hitting only eight points.

Afterward, Smithson confirmed that he, Estes and former champ Jake Mickelson each had trouble getting into a rhythm. The trio held the title for the last four years.

Smithson said that next year they plan to start another run.

In other action Friday, most of the tournament’s teams had tipped off for the first time. Local teams didn’t fare as well on Friday.

Two of the three Anaconda women’s teams lost. Taco Time earned a 53-52 win over Madres. Taco Time includes former Anaconda players Andrea Graa, Tricia Slaughter and Jayme Connors. Each of the three played college ball.

The Smurfettes, a team that has Butte girls, claimed a 53-47 win over Anaconda’s BAMFs.

Thursday winners Goosetown and Rocky Mountain Brewing both lost to defending champion teams. Team Spokane, last year’s winner in Men’s B, looked unstoppable in a 60-point win over Goosetown.

Business Time, a team of Butte Central athletes, claimed a convincing 102-28 win on Friday.

The Mud Lakers stayed atop the 6-foot-1-and-under division with a 103-63 win over Rocky Mountain Brewing.

The defending champion Mud Lakers could see a future challenge from Metals Sports Bar, a team of standout Butte and Dillon athletes.

In Men’s Open, the Northwest Pussycats suffered from a Friday loss against the Elite 8, based out of Butte. Former Montana Tech forward Jon Cleveland plays with the Elite 8.

Fans can catch the semifinals for Men’s Open in the two games before the slam dunk contest on Saturday night at the Memorial Gym. The slam dunk contest is set to start at 7 p.m.

24th Annual Wayne Estes Tournament

Friday’s Scores

Men’s B

UCE-MAX 76, Motorboaters 75

Club No. 1 60, Undecided 53

Mo Club 76, S.J. Perry Co. 44

Railers 85, Team Hansen 69

Molly Brown 75, Kwat Tuck 72

Business Time 102, College All-Stars 28

The Unit 54, Car B 52

Hish 98, Rock Inn 21

Women’s A/B

Smurfettes 53, BAMFs 47

Oh Shoot 82, Savage Ballin’ 35

Taco Time 53, Madres 52

Men’s 6-foot-1-and-under

Mud Lakers 103, Rocky Mountain Brewing 63

Hoop Saq 116, Bad Word 59

Team Spokane 84, Goosetown 25

MES 80, Marcom 69

Beast Lords 82, ARCo 74

Bull Thing 88, Under Tow 39

Metals Sports Bar 105, Foul Aaron Please 81

Hard 2 Swallow 100, 870s 47

Bad Road 107, Bridge Builders 48

Jackpot 90, Tribal Council 85

Boys’ High School A

BEast 97, Nation’s Finest 54

Broncs 61, Cougar Strike 55

Blue Devils 60, Broncs 57

Boys’ High School B

Pink Fingers 48, Nations 35

Boys’ High School B

Stars 55, Ridge 48