Senate beats House in hoops, sort of
by March 15, 2016 9:59 pm 194 views
The sort of Arkansas Senate defeated the sort of Arkansas House, 66-59, earning its first victory in the fourth year of the Hoops for Kids’ Sake charity basketball game Tuesday night at UALR’s Jack Stephens Center.
The “Senate” was led by Brandon Friedel, a basketball coach at Episcopal Collegiate School who was an honorable mention All-American his senior year at Arkansas Tech University in 2009-10.
Friedel scored 15 of the “Senate’s” first 20 points hitting five three-pointers and finished the half with 23 of the team’s 39 points. He scored another 14 in the second half, meaning he scored 37 of the team’s 66 points.
Friedel took the place of former Arkansas Razorback Scotty Thurman, who was not able to play. He was not the only celebrity to impact the game. Other celebrities playing for the Senate included former Razorback Blake Eddins and AEDC Director Mike Preston, who can play some ball. The House countered with former Arkansas State Red Wolves Freddy Hicks and Micah Marsh, former Razorback football player and NFL player D.J. Williams, and Cory Cooperwood, who has played professional basketball internationally.
During crunch time, the Senate, which had lost the previous three annual games, at times had only one actual senator on the floor – usually Sen. Jeremy Hutchinson, R-Little Rock. The House typically had two actual representatives on the floor during that time period.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang, R-Beebe, an actual senator who coached the team, was unashamed of the shameless use of ringers, particularly Friedel.
“He was a (Senate) page today,” Dismang said, producing a certificate documenting the “fact.”
Dismang said the team “absolutely” wanted a victory.
“I think the continuation of the game was in jeopardy if we didn’t finally get a win,” he said.
The game was close from start to finish, and elected officials did contribute. Rep. Matthew Shepherd, R-El Dorado, was the high legislative scorer with six points, including a first half three-pointer, while Rep. Charles Blake, D-North Little Rock, scored five.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who played for the Senate last year, played for the House this year under a rotating arrangement, which means that, so far, he’s 0-2. He scored a point on a first half free throw.
The event raised more than $30,000 for three organizations: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arkansas; the Boys & Girls Club of Saline County; and the Boys & Girls Club of Bryant. Co-founder Denver Peacock of The Peacock Group said the event has raised $110,000 since its inception.