10th Annual Malta Summer Shootout

For a second consecutive weekend, the Malta High School gymnasium featured basketball teams from the Hi-Line and beyond, this time for the Tenth Annual Malta Summer Shootout.

The Malta Mustangs, M-ettes, and North Country teams were present at the event. There was a total of nine boys teams and 12 girls teams present.

"We have been really fortunate to get some good teams in here and I think that our girls have grown a whole lot from this summer of competition," M-ette Head Coach Nate Hammond said.

The M-ettes and Lady Mavericks met for a second time this summer, and the teams were locked in a thriller, which was ultimately won by North Country. The score was 46-43.

"We did pretty well," Coach Hammond said. "We made some mistakes and had a few mental errors. North Country shoots the ball so well. It's tough to keep up with all of those three-pointers."

Earlier this summer the M-ettes went to Billings and played a total of 15 games. The teams played three games on the weekend of June 19, in Malta, and played eight more (between two teams) at the Malta Summer Shootout.

The team also hosted a camp from Monday, June 21, to Wednesday, June 23.

The Mustangs were also present in their first event of the summer, winning all four of their games on Saturday.

"I'm pretty pleased," Mustang Head Coach Dave Costin said. "Summer is more relaxed than in the winter but our guys are playing hard and being physical, so that is what we are looking for."

Coach Costin expressed pride in the team's upperclassmen.

"Our junior class is stepping up and playing pretty well," Coach Costin said. "I like our seniors right now. They have matured, and are playing with physicality, and providing leadership."

Moe Denham, the event's founder and coordinator led the event with family, friends, and local officials. Denham was asked how he felt about the competitiveness of last weekends' games.

"I think it was pretty good," Denham said. "We get a lot of quality teams and I try to match them up the best that I can so that we get quality games."

The event was smaller this year because of last year's restrictions due to COVID. The 2020 Malta Summer Shootout was one of the only events running, so it peaked more interest. In contrast, this year's event was fully open, but faced a shortage of officials, forcing Denham to feature fewer teams.