“Chicago or bust!”

That could easily be the theme of the Nationals Elks 2023 Hoop Shoot that will begin locally this Sunday at 12:30 inside the Cranston YMCA.

It’s a terrific tradition of the National Elks Association that providing healthy competition and leads to winners shooting their way into the finals that will be contested on April 22 at Wintrust Arena – home of the WNBA’s Chicago Sky and famed DePaul University Blue Demons.

Steven Lagesse, long-time local director and Past Exalted Ruler at Sunday’s sponsoring Tri-City Elks Lodge at 1915 West Shore Road in Warwick, said the event is open to boys and girls ages 8 to 13 and that “there’s absolutely no entrée fee whatsoever.”

Even when the various local, district and regional champions are determined the ENF provides travel fees, hotel accommodations and expenses.

“Competition is for boys and girls ages 8 to 13 and their age for the shoot is determined by their ages as of April 1, 2023,” Lagesse explained. “There are three different age divisions for boys and girls ages 8-9, 10-11 and 12-13. Contestants are offered a warm-up shoot and then will then try to sink as many foul shots as they can from the contest required total of 25 shots. In case there’s a tie, a special shoot off will be held.”

While speaking about the unique competition, Lagesse pointed out “The National (ELKS) Hoop Shoot is celebrating its 50th Anniversary. There’s of excitement from local lodges throughout the state and country because the boys and girls that capture the national division champions will have their names – well as the post- shoot photo – placed in the Naismith National Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Ma.

Thus, it’s almost tip-off the Sunday’s Tri-City Elks Lodge No. 14 Hoop Shoot with boys and girls having their sights set on moving onto the various district championships as well as a berth in the New England Regionals that will be held in South Portland, Maine on March 11, 2023, with those winners heading to Chicago for the national finals.

Lagesse also announced that the North District Finals will be held Dec. 10 at Smithfield High School with the West District finals set for Dec. 11 at Prout High School in South Kingstown. The East District will be held Dec. 18 at the Florence Gray Center in Newport with the state finals back at the Cranston YMCA on Jan. 22, 2023.