New 24-hour basketball marathon joins Hoopfest to raise money for local youth

SPOKANE, Wash. — You can witness basketball history in the making this weekend as Spokane hosts an exciting 24-hour basketball marathon alongside the world’s largest 3-on-3 tournament.

The new event, called Embrace Hoopfest, begins at 7 a.m. Friday at the courts outside the Podium in Riverfront Park. Thirty-two players will compete in 42 games over 24 consecutive hours.

“We have to stay here and stay awake for 24 hours. And then we also ask that everybody play in every game,” said Jason Reinhardt, who helped organize the event and will participate as a player.

Each participant must raise at least $1,000, with proceeds benefiting the Hoopfest Youth League and Embrace Washington, a nonprofit organization that supports foster youth throughout the Inland Northwest.

The marathon is part of Spokane’s annual Hoopfest event, which bring the world’s largest 3-on-3 basketball competition to the city’s downtown core. The main tournament features thousands of players competing on courts throughout downtown Spokane.

Reinhardt said Embrace Hoopfest holds special meaning for participants.

“One of our players has benefited from the services of Embrace Washington. And now he has an adoptive daughter, and he’ll be out here playing with us for 24 hours,” Reinhardt said. “It was actually his idea, along with another friend of ours, to play for Embrace Washington. It’s a phenomenal cause.”

The event spans multiple generations, with Reinhardt’s 16-year-old son Levi also participating. The teenager has already raised $1,800 for the cause and shared his strategy for surviving the marathon.

“Get a lot of sleep tonight. Eat a whole bunch of junk food while going through it. Get some sugar, hopefully some caffeine, but just have some fun,” Levi said.

Leslie Cogley said she is excited for Hoopfest attendees to witness the charitable effort during the tournament weekend.

“Hundreds of thousands of people will be walking through the site, and they’ll get to see an amazing opportunity where basketball in our community isn’t just about playing, it can be also about charity. It can also be about giving back,” Cogley said.

There is still time to support Embrace Hoopfest. For more information and to donate, visit www.pokanehoopfest.net.