Back to News Front

First Responders retain possession of Hoops 4 Heroes trophy

Evening featured special guests and a down-to-the-wire finish

Caden Grant, son of fallen Fircrest police officer, Arron Scott Grant, added to the First Responders’ lead with a nothing-but-net free throw during the third quarter. Photo credit: Margaret Bicker

Email Article Print Article Share on Facebook Share on Reddit Share on StumbleUpon

Thursday night's game rocked Pierce College's Health Education Building as a couple hundred spectators cheered on an epic match-up featuring true sports heroes as Pierce County First Responders took on the Joint Base Lewis-McChord Soldiers in the third annual battle for the Hoops 4 Heroes trophy.

It wasn't just all fun and games, though. Put on by the DuPont-Steilacoom Subchapter of the Captain Meriwether Lewis Chapter of the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Hoops 4 Heroes raises funds annually for various AUSA projects including gift baskets for returning soldiers.

Lakes High School senior and Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps sergeant Ciara Arthur sings “The Star Spangled Banner” to begin the third annual Hoops 4 Heroes. Photo credit: Margaret Bicker
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

Gold Star Daughter, Karsyn Walshe, daughter of Army Specialist Tyler Walshe who was killed in southern Afghanistan in 2009, is surrounded by the soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord as she prepares to toss the first jump ball. Photo credit: Margaret Bicker
_______________________________________________________________________________________________

"The basket contains necessities to get them through until their belongings are secured from storage, as well as goodies and gift certificates," said Karen Getchell, the DuPont-Steilacoom Subchapter's community liaison. "Our Mission with the DuPont-Steilacoom AUSA Subchapter is that no soldier will return home here through the back door ever again."

The contest began with the presentation of the colors by members of the Lakes High School Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (JROTC), accompanied by an outstanding rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" by Lakes High School senior and JROTC sergeant Ciara Arthur.

The game-starting jump ball was thrown by Gold Star daughter Karsyn Walshe, whose father, Army Specialist Tyler Walshe, was killed in 2009 while serving in southern Afghanistan.

The soldiers quickly took the lead with a half-court three-pointer at the eight-minute mark, but by half-time that lead had evaporated, and First Responders led 41-29.  Although the soldiers left it all on the court in an attempt to regain their lead during the second half, they were only able to shrink the gap. At the final buzzer, the First Responders were victorious for the second year in a row 74-69.

The soldiers, however, were the real winners, as this year's Hoops 4 Heroes brought in more than $4,000 for AUSA to continue supporting active-duty soldiers and their families. 

comments powered by Disqus