Hoopapalooza Saturday - all day basketball-fest between Shorewood and Shorecrest

T-Bird Taryn Shelley
Photo by Wayne Pridemore

By Frank Workman

This Saturday marks the 8th annual Hoopapalooza, the all-day basketball-fest between our district's two teams, Shorewood and Shorecrest, culminating in the varsity girls facing off at 5, and the boys squaring off at 7.

This year it will be held at Shorecrest, 15343 25th Ave NE, Shoreline 98155.

There are very few other games on the high school docket Saturday, so the basketball cognoscenti can be expected to descend on the Scots gym, as well as locals who might only get out to see

one game a year.

If the games themselves aren't enough to lure fans to reacquaint themselves with friends and neighbors, then the promise of tantalizing food should do the trick.

Taqueria Tonita Taco Truck and Daddy’s Donuts will be setting up shop in the courtyard right outside the gym, while the SC Boosters already have meatballs marinating for the occasion .... meaning all the major food groups are included.

And, as always, the best gym popcorn you will ever eat sells for only a dollar at the concession stand. Add a box of Junior Mints to your popcorn and you'll be onto the taste sensation that's sweeping the nation.

Scot Jazlyn Owens
Photo by Geoff Vlcek

The Varsity girls game figures to be hotly contested. Both teams are vying for the top spot in the WesCo standings. Shorecrest is 7-1 in league (11-5 overall), while Shorewood is a game behind at 6-2 (14-2).

With District playoffs only 2 weeks away, this game will be pivotal in determining playoff seedings.

SW emerged victorious in their non-league meeting on December 8, 47-35.

The T-Birds feature 6' 2" senior Taryn Shelley, a WSU-commit.

The Scots, last year's 2A State Champions, are led by senior guard Jazlyn Owens.

The nightcap features two teams with opposite records.

The SW boys have struggled under first year coach George Edwards, going 1-7 in league play, 1-15 overall, while the Scots are 7-1/15-1 this season.

The Scots cruised to a 73-58 win at SW on December 12. They are led by 6' 8" junior Phillip Pepple, 6' 3" senior Malcolm Rosier-Butler, and 6' 2" junior Chris Lee.

While it may look like a mismatch on paper, expect the T-Birds to be scrappy as heck, knowing nothing would please their fans more than to knock off their arch-rival.

Here's the complete schedule of games ---
 
10:30  C-team Girls.
12:00  C-team Boys.
  1:30   JV Girls
  3:00   JV Boys
  5:00  Varsity Girls
  7:00  Varsity Boys

The games will be webcast live by the Shorecrest Live Video Production Club.

Wait ...... did somebody say  'taco truck'?