Hoops Fest 15 to be held April 10

Forest Park’s Eric Brent will compete in the boys’ 3-point shootout at Hoops Fest 15, which is set for April 10 at Gar-Field High School.

By: David Fawcett | InsideNova
Published: March 14, 2010

The area's top dunkers and shooters are gearing up again to square off at Hoops Fest 15.

The annual event, which is sponsored by the News & Messenger, will be held this year at Gar-Field High School on April 10, starting at 2 p.m. Admission for Hoops Fest 15 will be $10.

Hoops Fest will once again bring together the area's best boys and girls basketball players to participate in a variety of skills competitions to raise money for a family in need.

This year, all proceeds from the event will go to help defray expenses for the Johnson family of Woodbridge; the family has been unable to pay mortgage since October.

Lynn and Willie Johnson have 10 children ages four to 19, including a daughter at Gar-Field.

Last year at Potomac High School, Hoops Fest 14 raised $9,200 for the Mellott family.

Shane Mellott, whose wife, Kathy, is a secretary for Potomac's athletic department, was diagnosed with a dissecting aorta aneurysm on April 20, 2008. His heart condition was the same one that killed the actor John Ritter.

In Shane Mellott's case, the condition was caught in time to save his life, but it put him out of work for six months.

At last year's event, Potomac's boys continued its dominance in the slam-dunk competition as Charles Shedrick won the title, the fifth time in the past six years a Panther claimed the title.

Hylton won the 2-ball competition with Darrell Patterson and Shernetta Boyd. The Bulldogs also took first in the boys' 3-point shootout with Carlton Johnson taking top honors.

Chanel Shands from Forest Park was the girls' 3-point shootout winner.

Hoops Fest began in 1996 when it was hosted by Woodbridge High School.

That year, the money raised went to help Woodbridge graduate Lee Thompson Jr. get prosthetics. Both of his lower legs were amputated after he contracted spinal meningitis.

Since that first year, Hoops Fest has raised over $100,000 for families in need.

Stay tuned to the News & Messenger and www.insidenova.com for more details on this year's event.

Sports editor David Fawcett can be reached at 703-878-8052.