SPORTS S TUFF

BASKETBALL — That’s a plethora of shots! In a remarkable display of grit, focus and follow-through, 157 youth ahletes from 46 Montana communities and four different states logged over 773,000 made shots in the 127 Sports Intensity Shooting Challenge, the Fairfield Times-Leader weekly newspaper reported recently. The 76-day event, hosted by the Basketball club and operated under the 127 Sports Intensity nonprofit, ran from April 15 to June 30 and saw participation from pre-kindergarten through high school athletes. Designed around the philosophy of Educational Athletics, the challenge emphasized not only shooting consistency but also mental growth. Participants completed weekly online assignments on topics like self-discipline, gratitude, and visualization— reinforcing the idea that sports can shape character as well as skill. Athletes submitted their shot counts daily, verified by parents in over 3,160 official entries. Shot goals range...