Ironwood schools host 23rd annual 3-on-3 tourney

IRONWOOD - Both of the gyms in Luther L. Wright were full of basketball players Saturday as the school hosted its 23rd annual three-on-three basketball tournament.

This year's tournament featured 64 teams competing in 16 divisions according to Luther L. Wright principal, and tournament-organizer, Michelle Kanipes.

Utilizing both gyms, Kanipes was able to run six games at a time - ensuring a smooth flow throughout the day.

In addition to being split by gender, the divisions were determined by grade levels including third and fourth graders in a division. Fifth through eighth grades each had a separate division. Ninth and tenth graders were paired, as were eleventh and twelfth graders. There were also two adult divisions for men and women who were 18 to 25 years old.

The tournament's double-elimination format guaranteed every team played at least two games, with the length of the games determined by the division.

Although the number of teams was down from last year's 93 teams - one of the tournament's highest turnouts - Kanipes was pleased with the tournament, attributing the decline to a number of factors including the proximity to the state high school basketball playoffs.

Kanipes said the tournament's success was due to the dedication of the volunteers who made the event possible.

"We are successful only because of the number of volunteers we have. We have students from the student council who work the timers and the scores, they work the concession stand. We have a myriad of adults; friends, family, people that work in the schools or have children in the schools ... we couldn't do this without them," Kanipes said.

The tournament also receives considerable support from the school's booster club, who also had members volunteer for the day.

"There are some of the women who are part of the booster club that are here today. They don't have to be, they volunteered to be," said Kanipes.

Drawing players from throughout the region, Kanipes said that the teams get to compete against a mix of friends, rivals and strangers.

"We've drawn from Marquette, we've drawn from Minneapolis, we've drawn from Green Bay. We've drawn from Hermantown Minn. For a lot of (players), it's a chance for them to play teams they would never get to play," said Kanipes.

The tournament is able to capitalize on the popularity of March Madness, according Kanipes said.

"People have the fever with the NCAA tournament going on," said Kanipes.

The tournament also serves as a fundraiser for the school's junior class.

"This is our big fundraiser for prom," said Kanipes, who is also the junior class advisor. "This is what helps pay for all the decorations and the things that go into (prom)."

The class also donates a portion of the proceeds to some of the school's other organizations, Kanipes said, in recognition of the assistance they receive in hosting the tournament.

Above all, she feels the tournament was the ideal way for students to enjoy some fun, competitive exercise.

"There's not a better place for children to be than in a gym, playing basketball," said Kanipes.