With 37 teams participating, organizers heralded the 11th Annual MI Summer Celebration! 3-on-3 Youth Challenge Basketball Tournament a great success.

The Mercer Island Girls and Boys MIHS Basketball Booster Clubs helped sponsor the event for youth in grades 3-8 at the Farmer’s New World Life parking lot, allowing greater participation and enjoyment for both players and fans at the heart of the Summer Celebration! festivities.

This year’s winners by division: (MI teams that won have player’s names listed): 3rd grade girls: Sting Jr; 4th grade girls: Cloud 9 Islanders (Jessie Stenberg, Claire Mansfield, Jackie Stenberg, Macy Mounger); 5th grade girls: Mojo (Ali Marinello, Josie Blakeslee, Kate Miller, Anna Luce); 6th grade girls: Serious Vertical; 7th grade girls: Bulldogs; 8th grade girls: Knights. 3rd grade boys: Heroes (Ryan Friedman, Stewart Vassau, Alon Tamir); 4th grade boys: All-Stars, (Zack Gottesman, Nate Luce, Griffin Emmanuels, Giovanni Rocha); 5th/6th grade boys: Blues; 7th/8th grade boys: DKD En Fuego, (Daniel Marinello, Kemper McQuaid, Dylan Foreman).

All proceeds of the tournament benefit both booster clubs, 501(c)3 organizations, which provide basketball opportunities and support for Mercer Island youth in grades 1-12. Twenty-seven volunteer monitors, mostly middle- schoolers, high-schoolers and a few adults, kept the games on time and fun for all participants. Banking on the tournament’s ever-increasing popularity and success, organizers are looking for help with next year’s tournament. If interested, please call Christa Lilly, 206-818-7622.