LIMA, OH (WLIO) - Young athletes from Mercer to Ottawa Counties gathered in Lima on Sunday to put their basketball skills to the test.
For over 50 years, the Lima Elks Lodge has hosted the Northwest Ohio District Hoop Shoot Competition. Boys and girls in three age groups from 8-13 years old compete to make the most buckets out of 25 free throw attempts. The winner from each group will go on to compete at the state level in Newark, Ohio next month. Win or lose, preparing for and participating in the Hoop Shoot motivates many students to work harder and get better at the sport from an early age.
"They can meet shooters from all different areas, and a lot of comradery. We have some of these shooters that go onto national competition and go onto college, stardom, and so on. So yes, I think it's a tremendous start for these kids," said Jean Zink, the district Hoop Shoot director for the Lima Elks Lodge.
The winners from each group and their scores are:
8-9 Girls
Myra Unrast – Mercer Co Elks Lodge #2170 14/25
10-11 Girls
Myma Dreyer – Van Wert Elks Lodge #1197 16/25
12-13 Girls
Kaya Fulmer – Mercer Co Elks Lodge #2170 15/25
8-9 Boys
Parker Moeller – Mercer Co Elks Lodge #2170 24/25
10-11 Boys
Marcus Eckstein – Mercer Co Elks Lodge #2170 19/25
12-13 Boys
Keaton Elwer – Lima Elks Lodge #54 23/25
