Reunited on the pavement

SPOKANE — Some use it as a reunion of sorts.

Getting the high school team back together for another shot at glory on the basketball court.

Others are just looking at Hoopfest as a way to keep those glory days going a few more years.

IN THE case of the Viks Alums, a team comprised of former Coeur d’Alene High players Sydni Parker, Madison Sumner, Sara Chalich and Caelyn Orlandi, it was just time to get back on the court together.

“For me, it’s just something to do,” Orlandi said. “And they’re my ex-teammates, so I figured why not.”

Orlandi filled in for Brittany Tackett, who was originally slated to be on the team, but had to return to Lewiston for a school function with Lewis-Clark State.

“It’s wonderful,” Orlandi said of sharing the court with her high school teammates. “I get to play with Sara instead of against Sara (Chalich plays at league rival Carroll College in Helena, Mont.), and get to play with the two guards from my senior year (Parker and Sumner). There’s nothing better.”

Orlandi graduated from Lewis-Clark State College in the spring with a degree in exercise science.

“I’m looking to get into coaching,” Orlandi said. “I want to coach at the college level. I’ve got some things planned out, but nothing for sure yet. I’ve totally fallen in love with that game. It’s kind of like breaking up with it, but I’m not done with the game yet.”

Orlandi and Tackett helped guide the Warriors to a appearance in the NAIA championship game in March, finishing as national runner-up.

“As a whole, it was the greatest experience of my entire life,” Orlandi said. “I wish I could play another four years, but now I can give back to the sport from a different perspective.”

Sumner, who is entering her senior year at Weber State, said she hadn’t played competitively too much since helping the Vikings win a state 5A title in 2014.

“Goose (Orlandi) and I played in Hoopfest a few years ago, but that’s about it,” Sumner said. “I think it’s the atmosphere is so awesome, and when Sara texted us that we should get our group back, why not? What better way to do that then at Hoopfest.”

The team won its first three games of the day and return to the court today at 11 a.m. in a semifinal game.

Chalich, who will be a redshirt junior this fall, played with a group of her Carroll teammates at Hoopfest in 2016.

“I hadn’t played with Goose in forever, only played against her,” Chalich said. “And with Madison and Sydni, I haven’t played since high school. So it was good to be with them again and battle. Coming in, we knew what we were capable of and we’re just going to go from there. We’ve built our chemistry for a long time and been playing together forever.”

FOR CURRENT Lakeland High assistant principal Jimmy Hoffman, the appeal of getting a chance to share the court with those who coached him at his alma mater of Timberlake High was a little too good to pass up.

Even if he hadn’t stepped on the court in nearly five years.

Hoffman, along with former Timberlake boys coach John Hartz, and Tiger assistant coaches John Roletto and Matt Neff comprised team MJJJ. Neff and Roletto were assistants to Hartz from 2000-03.

“It’s just kind of neat to get together and play as a group,” Hoffman said. “Roletto kept saying he was going to sign us up. And then we missed the deadline, and got in late because they were allowing late entrees.”

But it wasn’t like the glory days of the early 2000s, with Hoffman adding he needed a little longer to prepare to play on Saturday.

“I haven’t played basketball, maybe since Hoopfest five years ago,” said Hoffman, 32. “I’m just not as young as I used to be. I’ve got to do a 30-minute warm-up to get ready to play.”

“Those three, they’ve made an impact to get me where I’m at today,” Hoffman said. “They’re such great guys. It’s really cool to finally get back together. Hopefully we can go out and not embarrass ourselves.”

Hartz finished 32-33 in three years at Timberlake. He is currently serving as the offensive coordinator of the Eagle High football team and also coaches golf for the Mustangs.

“Jimmy got together with a couple of the guys and they came up with this idea,” Hartz said. “They wanted to get some old guys together, but Jimmy’s the only young guy. If we’re injury free, it’s going to be a good weekend.”

While he coached basketball here, he’s happy on the other side of the court in Eagle.

“I could get back into coaching (basketball), but the football situation down there has been great,” Hartz said. “I coached a little football at Timberlake. But I stayed real close with these kids from my three years. And last night was a blast because we went to Embers in Spirit Lake and it was just catching up. It’s just awesome.”

The team lost in its opener, won in its second game, but was eliminated later Saturday afternoon.

NOW A District 1 official in both football and basketball, you’ve got to understand why Clark Fork product Mike Martin opts to play in the Elite Division at Hoopfest.

“It kind of started with us kind of goofing around,” Martin said. “But we get so sick of the call-your-own-fouls thing and stuff, and the Elite Division has the refs, so if we’re going to play, we might as well do it right.”

Martin, a 2008 graduate of Clark Fork High, has teamed with Kootenai High alum Gus Gustin and Bonners Ferry native A.J. Bennett for the last seven years. Their team of One Shot Charlie’s lost in the opening round, then won a consolation game to advance to face Gucci Elite today at 8 a.m.

“Just getting to play with Gus, we don’t get to play basketball with each other much anymore,” Martin said. “We used to play men’s league together, but now it’s our yearly thing. Now, we get to go out afterward, catch up and play basketball.”

Gustin graduated from Kootenai in 2003.

“We just all kind of liked playing with each other,” Gustin said. “All of us being small town kids, we just thought it’d be fun to play in the 6-foot-and-under elite division. We all have the same ideas and like to play team basketball and share the ball. It’s a lot of fun. Playing at this level, you kind of get away from the arguing about the ticky-tack fouls, fights and stuff like that. There’s less confrontation and you can just play basketball.”

A GROUP of students from Post Falls has won its bracket at Hoopfest with such regularity, the kids have lost count.

All that matters to them is getting buckets and that championship shirt.

“We’ve been playing for three years in multiple tournaments, and I don’t think we’ve lost yet,” Post Falls rising junior Drake Thompson said. “We’re always hanging out playing basketball and doing our thing.”

Thompson, along with rising senior Casey Walker — both of Post Falls — and Cole Northrup and Cody Sanderson of Gonzaga Prep formed Get Buckets in the High School Male Division.

“Just the competitiveness of this is fun to me,” Thompson said. “I don’t think anyone can guard us out here, so I think we’re the best team out here. Us three together, we’re unstoppable.”

Post Falls and Gonzaga Prep are scheduled to play Dec. 7 at Post Falls High.

“We’re looking forward to playing them now,” Thompson said. “They’ve got some good players. It should be a real fun game to watch and play in.”

Walker has been a part of five straight championship teams.

“I’ve been surrounded by good teammates,” Walker said. “We have a good time when we play and it’s a lot of fun to play together — just hanging out with my friends and walking around.”

They’ll return to action today at 9 a.m. in a quarterfinal game.