The third annual Snoqualmie Casino 3 on 3 basketball tournament brought more than 150 teams from across Washington to the streets of Snoqualmie Ridge.

For some local players, the tournament was a reunion of sorts, as they got to spend time with friends from their Mount Si High School days.

Mount Si grads Kyle Meuli, Kevin Englund and Greg Beckmann reunited on the Reservoir Dogs team for the chance to play solid competition.

“We’re really just looking for some competitive basketball,” Englund said. “It’s not easy to come by, tournaments like this. So when they come, you’ve really got to jump on the opportunity.”

“It’s just another chance to play basketball again, play with some old friends,” Meuli added.

The Reservoir Dogs were one of the several teams with local connections in the tournament’s adult division. Another team, the Channel Five News team, took their name from the movie “Anchorman” and featured grads Curtis Beach, Frank McLaughlin and Ben Emerson, along with current Mount Si student Wes Hill. McLaughlin said his team entered because of the growing reputation of the event.

“We heard that the past few years, there was a really good turnout, and that it was really fun,” McLaughlin said. “We love playing basketball, just hanging out all summer, so why not come up here and get some good competition?”

Both teams had big groups of fellow Wildcat alums to cheer them on, including Kali and Katelyn Walker, Nicole Remish and Kara Clearman.

“It’s nice that we’ve got a good fan turnout, to see some people that I haven’t seen all summer,”McLaughlin said.

While both teams struggled and were eliminated before the end of the day, Englund was pleased with how his team’s day went.

“It was definitely a lot of fun,” he said. “It’s good to come out and see all the people who used to go to school with us.”

The number of teams which entered this year’s event is a significant growth from last year.

That’s because participants have a fun experience, according to tournament organizer Jeff Orswell. He credited sponsors including Snoqualmie Casino, Costco and Finaghty’s Irish Pub for helping to put it all together. All participants received a souvenir bag and basketball and got to play a minimum of three games.

“Also, it’s just a beautiful area,” Orswell said. “Snoqualmie Ridge is one of the nicest places in western Washington for an event.”

Contact Snoqualmie Valley Record Sports contributing Writer Rhett Workman at rwteam97@yahoo.com or 425-888-2311.

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