Basketball tourney champs crowned

Second to None and the Orange Hearts Foundation sponsored a basketball tournament as part of the Wasco Rose Festival events, held at the Richard Reding Gymnasium at Palm Avenue Middle School.

The event crowned their champions on Sunday when a Bakersfield-based team, Hoop Dreams, took the title with a convincing 102-54 win in the finals. A team from Los Angeles, Fuerza, took second place in the event. A great semifinal between Fuerza and the Orange Hearts team ended with Fuerza barely squeaking out a win, 62-60.

Hoop Dreams went through the event undefeated and pretty much untested, dominating their games on the court. The team is made up of a couple of players who had played professionally overseas, and also a couple that had spent time in the NBA system. Members of the team were Rick Copeland, Adan Arredando, Steve Alford, Chris Clayton, Jack Jacks and Jerricko Reyes.

Fuerza had to hold off a tough Orange Hearts team in the semifinal, and then 10 minutes later had to take on the top-ranked Hoop Dreams squad.

According to event coordinator Eddie Velasquez, the event drew 10 teams to the tournament this year, with the level of competition the greatest ever. "We have some real talent this year, with the Hoop Dreams team, and the team from Los Angeles. It has been a great tournament."

Velasquez is the director of Second to None, a championship-winning youth basketball organization that is involved in several tournaments a year, including regionals and state tournaments.

Hoop Dreams won a gold basketball trophy, along with the championship title. The trophy was presented to the team by Miss Wasco Rihanna Sanchez.