The Schulter Shootout Basketball Tournament wrapped up Saturday with a full slate of competitive games, highlighted by hard-fought third-place contests and two championship matchups that crowned the tournament’s inaugural champions.
Action opened with the girls’ third-place game, as the Wapanucka Lady Indians faced the Calvin Lady Bulldogs. After a close opening stretch, Wapanucka began to separate in the second quarter and continued to outpace Calvin the rest of the way. The Lady Indians secured a convincing 37-14 victory, earning the third-place plaque in the girls bracket of the inaugural event.
The boys’ third-place game followed and proved to be one of the most exciting contests of the day. The Wapanucka Indians and the Graham-Dustin Riverhawks battled back and forth throughout the game in a highly competitive matchup. In the closing moments, Wapanucka edged out Graham-Dustin for a narrow 51-49 win, claiming the third-place plaque in the boys bracket as well.
Championship play was dubbed the “Battle of the Bulldogs,” beginning with the girls’ title game between the host Schulter Lady Bulldogs and the Billings Lady Bulldogs. Both teams played with intensity and determination, clearly vying for the tournament crown. Despite being shorthanded due to injuries and playing through visible adversity, the Schulter Lady Bulldogs showed resilience, rallying from a deficit to secure a 34-28 victory. Billings fought hard throughout the contest and finished as the runners-up. With the win, the Schulter Lady Bulldogs were crowned champions of the girls bracket in the first annual Schulter Shootout.
The boys’ championship game featured another Bulldogs showdown, with the Schulter Bulldogs taking on the Calvin Bulldogs. As with earlier games, the matchup remained highly competitive, with both teams playing with urgency in pursuit of the championship. In the end, Calvin pulled away late to claim a 53-41 victory. Schulter finished as the tournament runner-up, while the Calvin Bulldogs earned the title as the boys bracket champions of the inaugural Schulter Shootout.
— All-Tournament Selections
In addition to team honors, several Schulter student-athletes received individual recognition for their performances during the tournament: Schulter Girls
• Naomi Brown
• Payton Campbell
• Makalah Hawkins
• Macee Henderson
• Bella Waters Schulter Boys
• Larry Bess
• Quinton Nuckolls
• Wyatt Scheeland
• Kris Thompson Additional awards included Bo Burcham, who won the Momma’s Giveaway Basket, Kris Thompson, named the 3-Point Champion and Payton Campbell, who was selected as the tournament MVP.
-The successful conclusion of the first annual Schulter Shootout showcased competitive basketball across all divisions and set the stage for what promises to become a strong tournament tradition in the years ahead.
