Team Secret Victorious in Inaugural Park 3-On-3

The first annual Augusta Parks & Rec 3-On-3 Blacktop Tournament was held July 14 at the newly renovated Archibald-Boling Memorial Basketball Court. The court is located on the southwest portion of Appelman Park. The court now features a freshly sealed pavement, newly painted lines, clear and acrylic backboards and new steel park benches. The tournament had some unique flavor. Two four-point spots were placed 27 feet from the basket much like the popular BIG3 league founded by Ice Cube. Brent Bach led the tournament in four-pointers made. Saturday’s tournament featured four divisions. The middle school girls division was won by Reed’s Shooting Stars. Team members were Nicole Archibald, Reagan Tackett and Laci Tackett. The team also competed in the women’s division. The middle school boys division had two very solid teams. LSquared Event Services knocked off Swish Kebabs for the championship. Team members of the winning team were Chase Archibald, Cayden Reed and Devante Jefferson. Three really competitive games were played between two women’s teams and the younger Reed’s Shooting Stars held their own as well. In the end, Net Rippers were able to hold off Team Harpthur. The teams were made up of six Augusta girls varsity players and one Bracken County girls varsity player. Team members of Net Rippers were Alexis Shields, Madison Kelsch, Madeline Darnell and Kennedy Carl. The men’s tournament was very competitive and entertaining for the many spectators who battled 97 degree heat. Rising star middle schoolers, Blake Reed and Connor Snapp paired up with local hoops legend Adam Reed and UPike signee Alexis Reed. KCU guard Connor Maddox led a squad of family members also featuring Bracken’s young phenom Kason Hinson along with Bracken’s head boys basketball coach Jason Hinson and brother Brandon Hinson. The team played in memory of former Augusta Panthers great Patrick “Packy” Hinson. Some other notable local basketball names involved were Augusta’s all-time leading scorer and Bellarmine alum Brent Bach, Campbellsville University cross country star and former Panther Camryn Snapp, Union College football signee and former Polar Bear Trey Deaton, former Panther guard and Lawrence University signee Cody Ripato and Bracken County track star Jared Jefferson. Current varsity players from Robertson County, Augusta and Mason County also played in the tournament. Robertson County’s Justin Becker, Brandon Dice and Sebastian Dixon played deep into the tournament, big man Alex Schalch from Robertson played with Cam Snapp and Ripato, while Chandler Black of Mason County teamed up with Cam White, Preston Philpot and Austin Eichenberger of Augusta. Despite the long list of local hoops legends, Nathan Shrader stood alone as the only Augusta or Bracken County name left in the finals. Shrader Gang lost a finals matchup to Team Secret who was led by Maysville Classic veteran Troy Gibbs and former Fleming County great and Georgetown Tigers forward Troy Steward. The next tournament at the newly renovated basketball court will be September 1. The tournament will be a 5-on-5, full court tournament. Registration deadline for the tournament is August 17.