Blake Connot of Crofton hit 24 of 25 free-throws Saturday to win the 12-13 year old boys’ division at the Elks Region 2 Hoop Shoot at the Rapid City Christian gym.
Connot, the son of John and Angie Connot, will compete against 11 other regional champions at the Elks Hoop Shoot National Finals on April 22 in Chicago. The national champion from each division is enshrined in the National Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Elks Region 2 Hoop Shoot pits the state champions from Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The Crofton native missed only one free throw, while his divisional competitors hit 22 and 21 of their 25 shots.
Connot did shoot in a tiebreaker for the Best of the Best Award, which is given to the top shooter in the boys’ divisions and the girls’ divisions. Both the 8–9-year-old and 10-11-year-old boys went 24 of 25 to win their divisions. The South Dakota Champion won the tiebreaker, though, to pick up another title for the day.
The 12-year old advanced to the Regional by winning the Yankton Elks Lodge #994 local contest and the South Dakota State Elks Association State competition in February.
The Elks are celebrating the 51-year of the Hoop Shoot, which is its annual, signature kids’ program. For more information about the Hoop Shoot, please visit elks.org.
