Local hoopsters fall short

SPOKANE — Three teams with local ties started Sunday with the hopes of capturing an elite women’s championship from the 21st annual Hoopfest 3-on-3 basketball tournament.

By Sunday at 1 p.m., 2002 Lakeland High graduate Ashley Jamison held out the lone hope after her Pure Advantage team defeated Sports Cellar 20-15 in a loser-out game.

But Jamison’s team fell to eventual champion TBD (To Be Determined) in a semifinal game 20-15 and was eliminated one round short of the championship game.

“After losing our first game yesterday, it makes for a tough road to come back,” Jamison said. “They are a really good team. They are contenders to win the championship every year.”

Pure Advantage was made up of Jamison and Eastern Washington University teammate Brandie Bounds, as well as Jillian Harmon from Stanford and Jill Noe of Arizona State.

TBD defeated Mead Concrete Paving 20-18 in the women’s championship game.

“We’ve met through playing together over the past couple years,” Jamison said of her team. “We’ve been mixing it up over the years.”

Pure Advantage also defeated Hot Mess Crew and former North Idaho College player Emily Boscacci 20-16 to advance to the quarterfinals. Hot Mess Crew finished the tournament 3-2.

Sports Cellar eliminated former Lake City High standout Jesi Metz and Shark Lightning, then was ousted by Pure Advantage.

Sports Cellar was down to three players Sunday after former Lake City High and University of Utah standout Lindsay Herbert tore her left ACL in their opening game of the tournament Saturday. The injury left the team with three players the rest of the way — former Post Falls High standout Megan Kane, and former Gonzaga standouts Heather Bowman and Vivian Frieson. Sports Cellar finished 2-2.

Shark Lightning finished 1-2.

Bottom Fell Out, which included former Post Falls High standout Scott Stockwell, won two straight games after losing its second game in the men’s 6-foot-and-under elite division before losing to Deathmatch Again, finishing 3-2.