Sports Arena Shootout draws 42 teams to Butte

By The Montana Standard Staff - 05/21/2009

The Second Annual Sports Arena Shootout drew 42 teams, 26 from out of town, to the Butte basketball tournament last weekend.

Former Montana Western player Matt Luedtke led Team Harris to a 108-92 victory over Leo McCarthy Insurance in the men's open division championship game.

Luedtke averaged 58.4 points per game, including 42 in the title game. He scored 100 points in a quarterfinal game.

Former Carroll College player Dallas Leslie, of the McCarthy team, scored 75 points in an opening-round game.

Montana Tech player Jesse DePell was named MVP of the women's open division after leading Lisac's Tire to a 54-44 win over Tobacco Free Beaverheads in the title game. She scored 19 points in the chipper.

Former Arizona State player Ron Riley was the MVP of the men's 35 and over division. Riley scored 32 points in Desert Horse's 77-64 win over Taco John's in the championship game.

Riley played for ASU from 1992-96 and is the school's fourth all-time leading scorer. He was drafted in the second round of the 1996 NBA draft by the Seattle Supersonics.

"The level of competition was amazing," said Mike Bauer, the tournament director.

Last year's tournament drew 15 teams. Bauer said his goal is 75 teams for next year.

The tournament was a fund-raiser for Mariah's Challenge.

Men's Open championship

Team Harris 108, Leo McCarthy Insurance 92

Team Harris — Matt Luedtke 42, Jamar Howard 10, Carlos Taylor 16, Ron Riley 14, J.R. Camel 11, Buzz Fyant 4, Nate Harris 2.

Leo McCarthy Insurance — Rayshaun Ames 31, Dallas Leslie 23, Mike Bauer 15, Jeff Bellach 14, Ceylon Elgin Taylor 9.

Consolation — Team Myers 97, Schock's Dairy 78

Men's Open MVP — Matt Luedtke, Montana Western

All-Star team — J.R. Camel, Montana; Jamar Howard, WItchita State; Carlos Taylor, Montana State; Rayshaun Ames, Great Falls; Brandon Day, Montana Western; Tyler Palmer, Montana Western; Sol Jones, Carroll College; Jared Smithson, Montana Western; Dallas Leslie, Carroll College; Shea Bradshaw, Montana Tech.

Women's Open championship

Lisac's Trie 54, Tabacco Free Beaverhead 44

Lisac's Tire — Jessie DePell 19, Kryston Mengon Lee 11, Lacey Lisac Gannon 9, Stephanie Langford 9, Becky Roll 4, Callie Daly 2.

Tabacco Free Beaverhead — Kristen Luedtke 16, Jenna Rucker 14, Allissa Creighton 6, Lynsey Gausch 4, Crissy Hansen 2, Jessica Smith 2.

Consolation — King Pin 60, Metal's Sports Bar 58

Women's Open MVP — Jesse DePell, Montana Tech

All-Star team — Kryston Mengon Lee, Montana Tech; Cyndie Lockett; Amy Allen, Carroll College; Katherine Sunwall, Montana Western; Genna Rucker, Montana Western.

Men's 35 & Over championship

Desert Horse 77, Taco John's 64

Desert Horse — Ron Riley 32, Buzz Fyant 23, Juan Perez 9, Tex Cooper 8, Chuck Page 5.

Taco John's — Mike Blakeley 16, Jeremy Nicholson 13, Jim Buck 12, Dan Parish 10, Jay Holt 5, Dave Miller 4, Shawn Morigeau 4.

Consolation — CCCS Inc./Air Exchange Oxygen 94, Hampton Inn 74

Men's 35 & Over MVP — Ron Riley, Arizona State

All-Star team — Chuck Page; Henry Klobecar, Rocky Mountian College; Andy Nye, Jamestown College; Mike Blakeley.