SPOKANE, Wash.-- Over 6,000 teams came to Spokane during the last weekend of June to compete in the world's largest three-on-three basketball event.
"This isn't a record year, we've had bigger, but it is bigger than last year so we are moving in the right direction," said Executive Director of Spokane Hoopfest Matt Santangelo.
Spokane's Hoopfest started in 1990 with 512 teams. It was smaller than it is now, but even at that time, it was still one of the larger three-on-three tournaments in the world.
With so many people attending Hoopfest, the whole event would not go smoothly if it were not for the volunteers.
"They take tremendous ownership of their area and that's exactly why Hoopfest has grown to scale that it is," said Santangelo.
29 years later, Hoopfest still continues to lead by example.
"There's a ton of cities that try to emulate it, but they cannot create what Spokane has been able to do," said Santangelo. "We do this, you know we are proud, and you want it to be a source of pride for everyone that gives it their time and their talent."
