La Jolla boys win ‘Hoops at the Beach’

A group of La Jolla boys playing for the Hoopers captured the title in the Boys Grade 7-8 division of the recent Jack in the Box “Hoops at the Beach” 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament held at Crown Point Shores.

The seventh graders — Jack Bailey, Daniel Cava, Grant Miller and Ethan Underwood — were 3-0 in pool play and beat an eighth-grade team to capture the title.

TJ Brown runs the Hoopers, a collection of teams for fifth- to eighth-graders. He took over the club three years ago and this year had more than 100 participants as well as girls teams that play around the county. Teams compete in weekend games and practice twice a week.

More than 150 teams were entered in the 23rd annual tournament, which is a fundraiser for thenon-profit Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl. There were 14 divisions, including brackets for men and women, old and young and tall and short. In the Elite division, the J.G.’s took the win as they were crowned “2010 San Diego County Champions” at center court.

Contact Brown about the Hoopers at tbball32@ yahoo.com or go to