Taking a shot
Pfc. Nisher Marks, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cav. Division, puts up a shot during the 360 Hoops tournament at Fort Hood, Texas, Aug. 29. Marks and his teammates won the tournament, earning trophies and gift cards. (Photo Credit: Blair Dupre, Fort Hood Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT HOOD, Texas - 360 Hoops, an alternate version of basketball, hosted a kid’s clinic and three-on-three tournament for active-duty Soldiers in the West Fort Hood Physical Fitness Center here, Aug. 29.

360 Hoops is a version of basketball where the court is circular and in the middle sits goal with three hoops. Teams can shoot into any goal from anywhere on the circular court

During the Soldiers tournament, Notre Dame head basketball coach Mike Brey, brother of 360 Hoops inventor Shane Brey, visited to watch and say a few words.

“My main message is how much I’m inspired,” he said about talking to the participants. “Being on this base, being around the teamwork, the togetherness, the mental and physical toughness, (and) the leadership I was able to spend some time with. It was amazingly inspiring. I want to make sure that I thank them for all they do for our country and that we haven’t forgotten. It’s a hard job; it’s a tough job.”

Brey grew up in a military household and highly values the sacrifice military members make.

“Anytime I can have some time to go give back, make them smile, make them laugh, tell them some stories, but then thank them at the end. I don’t know if our military has been thanked enough, let me put it that way,” he said. “When my brother called me about coming down, I was like, ‘In the midst of everything going on in our world, I’d be honored to be there and be with some of our Soldiers.’”

Champions
The 360 Hoops tournament champions, Burba Elite, show
off their trophies with 360 Hoops creator Shane Brey and his brother, Notre Dame men's basketball head coach Mike Brey, inside the West Fort Hood Physical Fitness Center at Fort Hood, Texas, Aug. 29. (Photo Credit: Blair Dupre, Fort Hood Public Affairs) VIEW ORIGINAL

Team Burba Elite, consisting of Cpl. Brycedon Tobie, 3rd Cavalry Regiment, Pvt. Cameron Foushe, 20th Engineer Brigade, Spc. George Wilson, 36th Engineer Bde., and Pfc. Nisher Marks, 1st Air Cav. Bde., 1st Cav. Division, were the winners of the tournament. They received individual trophies and $360 gift cards.

Acknowledging the great competitors they faced, Tobie found playing on three goals was most challenging.

“We’ve never played on them before. You have to score on each one. We never played (basketball) like this, this is our first time,” Tobie said. “It’s actually amazing that we won on our first try.”

Wilson said he’d play the game again because it was a lot of fun and unique.

“It was something different when it comes to basketball so, yeah, I really enjoyed it and I would do it again,” he said.

Marks felt it was important for Soldiers to participate in events like this because it brings them together and lets them develop teamwork in a non-work environment.

“I feel like it just brings people together. We see each other on a daily basis, we do different types of things, so for us to do these types of activities, it makes our chemistry that much better,” he said. “I just think it’s really important for us to do stuff like this.”