Popular Plains Days 3 on 3 tourney pleases players

Competition ran high on the courts of the 3 on 3 tournament that has become a popular event during Plains Days. There were 11 courts set up to host 54 teams. Concessions were open to get a bite to eat or drink. Dr. Blease, Dr Webb, and Nick Lawyer with Clark Fork Valley Hospital set up in a large tent to provide medical assistance for the players. Deb Warren of Century 21 Real Estate provided a free water bottle for all the players and spectators of the tournament. Under the tent, you could also get plenty of complimentary water to stay hydrated and beat the heat, or receive a massage from Jill Hermes to help with any muscle soreness.

The 57 teams spanned over 10 brackets, from co-ed first and second graders to a men's open. Some of the teams coming to compete traveled from as far as Butte, Hamilton, and Kalispell. Having 47 teams signing up last year, the tournament did have to make

Pleasesome adjustments with the growing numbers but coordinator, Erika Lawyer, is confident that the tournament adapted well and is ready for an even more successful year next year. Lawyer also commented that the tournament would not have ran as smooth as it did if it weren't for all of the sponsors and volunteers.

After all of the expenses were paid, the tournament ended up raising $3,900 for the Amundson Sports Complex. It is fundraisers like this tournament, and the Annual Showdown that is coming up on the weekend of July 26-28, help to fund the Amundson Sports Complex; keeping the porta-potties open, keeping the grass, watered, fertilized, and mowed and everything else that comes along with providing the space to the community.

The top winners in the co-ed first and second grade bracket was It's the Pits from Dixon in first place and the Cougars from Kalispell took second place. For the co-ed third and fourth grade bracket the Noxon Stompers placed first, the WM Warriors from Dixon and Arlee placed second, and local team, Tony the Tree Guy placed third. The Bitterroot Ballers from Hamilton took first in the fifth and sixth grade boys' bracket with Native 406 Ballers coming in second and Yoyot taking third. First place of the fifth and sixth grade girls bracket went to the C-Town Flames of Columbia Falls, the TF Hawks took second and the Dew Duck Inn Hot Shots placed third.  

The top three finishers in the boys seventh and eighth grade bracket was the Cardinals in first, the Ballerz in second, and the Arlee Warriors in third. For the seventh and eighth grade girls, the Trio of Trouble from Hamilton took first, the Lady Cougars from Kalispell took second, and the Cougars, also from Kalispell, took third. Taking first in the ninth and tenth grade boys' bracket was the Pablo Minecrafters, second place went to the Mangy Moose Spanish Gang, and third place went Wavvy.

For the eleventh and twelfth grade bracket, Butte finished first, the Dream Team from Ronan finished second and T Falls finished third. Finishing first in the girls' high school bracket was the Dream Team-Burke from Ronan, second place was the Dream Team from Thompson Falls and Plains, and third went to the Queens of the Court from Mineral County. The finishers of the Men's Open Bracket were Baldy Mountain Tire and Butchers Nook from Plains in first, McGowan's from Plains in second, and Tropics from Pablo in third.