Basketball: Two advance to state in Elks Hoop Shoot

Published 5:20 pm Tuesday, January 28, 2025

 

Mark ‘Moose’ Misenheimer and daughter Hadley.

Jaice Goodyear, Kenny Martin.

Press Release from Elks Hoop Shoot

WINSTON-SALEM — Marlie Steele and Hadley Misenheimer definitely “got game” when it comes to basketball and free throws.

Strong athletic genes in each family may help, but their focus and form, skills and determination earned them top honors at the Elks District Hoop Shoot in Winston-Salem on Saturday.

The girls will represent Salisbury Elks Lodge No. 699 at the state contest in Greensboro on Saturday, Feb. 8.

Steele, a lefty, shot 76 percent from the free throw stripe to take first place in the girls 10-11 division. She matched her score from the previous local contest, making 19 of 25 from the line.

Marlie credits her dad, Ryan, for teaching her the game and sticking to a good routine. Steele played basketball at Pfeiffer College from 2000-04 and influences Marlie in the best of ways, on and off the court.

“Marlie has a strong work ethic and is a perfectionist,” said Ryan. “It can be one of your greatest strengths or a distracting weakness. For example, basketball is not a perfect game so don’t get rattled and lose your focus because of a mistake or missed basket. You move on to the next shot or the next play until there’s no time on the clock. The results will take care of themselves.”

Marlie is a fifth-grader and his home-schooled. Her favorite professional player is two-time WNBA champion Kelsey Plum of the Las Vegas Aces. Marlie plays CP3 AAU travel basketball with Coach Veronica Hayes, who was one of Steele’s many “cheerleaders” at the district contest.

Hadley Misenheimer made 18 of 25 (72 percent) and took home the first-place trophy for the Girls 8-9 age group. If the Misenheimer name sounds familiar, it should. Her dad, Mark, excelled in three sports —  football, basketball and baseball — at East Rowan High School from 1997-2001. Uncle Kurt Misenheimer and Aunt Brooke Misenheimer Stouder, Mark’s siblings, are legendary sports figures in Rowan County history.

“Although Hadley’s only 8 years old, we signed her up for her first Hoop Shoot to have fun and build her confidence,” Mark said. “She did better than we expected.  We believe it’s her Christian faith, strong personality and natural-born leadership that make her special, on and off the court. She’s friendly and kind, rarely meets a stranger.”

Hadley is in third grade at Rockwell Elementary School. She plays in the Salisbury Parks and Recreation basketball league. She enjoys soccer, Girls on the Run and, according to dad, is most excited about starting volleyball at the YMCA in the spring.

Jaice Goodyear, a lefty, sank 13 of 25 hoops to earn second place in the boys 10-11 age group. Goodyear attends Rockwell Christian. He’s in sixth grade and thanks his dad for his basketball talent and positive influence.

Graham Davis from Salisbury faced the toughest competition of the day. High Point’s Bryce Haddon drilled 24 of 25 free throws to take first place in the boys 8-9 group. The runner-up swished 23 of 25, and the next two boys sank 21 goals. Davis, who won the Salisbury contest with 20 of 25 baskets, made 12 of 25.

In the Girls 12-13 division, Mayleigh Torrence, who attends North Kannapolis Middle School, competed well, sinking 12 of 25 free throws. Her grandfather and new Salisbury Elks member, Donald Terzi, was court side for support and photos.

Jim Oliver from the Salisbury Elks Lodge was also on hand to encourage and cheer the players. He served as the Salisbury Hoop Shoot coordinator for over 35 years. Kenny Martin, Salisbury Elks ER, is a constant presence at Hoop Shoot contests and was an event referee.

Past Rowan County hoopsters to compete at the state contest are Elle Blankenship (2024), Brendan Beal (2023), Bryant Davis (2020 and 2022), Dasia Elder (2020), Sehr Spence (2020), Rachel McCullough (2018), CP Perry (2017), and Lindsey Conrad (2017). In 2022, Bryant Davis won the state competition for 12-13 boys and went on to finish third at the Southern Regional Hoop Shoot.

The Elks State Hoop Shoot contest will be held on Saturday, Feb. 8 in Greensboro.

Winners will advance to regional competition. The National Hoop Shoot

Championships will take place on April 26 in Chicago.

For more information about the Hoop Shoot and Salisbury Elks Lodge, go to www.SalisburyElks.org.