Opening day of Hooplandia, powered by Hoop It Up and presented by Explore Western Mass, got off to a thrilling start with Friday Night Hooptacular, a high-energy celebration of basketball, community and competition, produced by Eastern States Exposition (ESE) and held at the ESE complex in West Springfield.
The festivities began with open play and skill-based challenges. During the Hotshot Challenge, players tried to score as many points as possible in 60 seconds with different point totals across the court. The 3-Point competition pushed players to try and make as many 3-pointers as they could in 60 seconds.
Following the skills competitions, the evening built toward its main event—a slate of four high-energy rivalry games featuring 3x3 lineups from some of the most competitive high school boys’ and girls’ basketball teams in Western Mass. Played on the tournament’s outdoor showcase court, the matchups sparked heated competition, school spirit and hometown pride as fans, families and city leadership assembled on the sidelines to cheer on their teams.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, Chicopee Mayor John Vieau, Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia and Agawam Mayor Christopher Johnson took to the court themselves, serving as coaches and showing strong support for their hometown athletes. The mayors were joined by Coach Joe Curran, who represented West Springfield, and Sheila Martin, superintendent of Agawam Public Schools.
When asked about the event, Mayor Sarno said, “Gene Cassidy saw the vision with Hooplandia, and it’s been fantastic to watch.” He continued, “and both of these teams [Pope Francis Prep School boys basketball and Springfield Central High School boys basketball] had amazing seasons. It’ll be great to see them play here tonight.” Cassidy is the President & CEO of ESE, the leading force behind the production of Hooplandia.
Sarno’s Central High School versus Pope Francis Prep 3x3 matchup was certainly the most anticipated game of the evening. The game served as a Western Mass Championship final game rematch between the two teams. The last time the teams faced off was in February when Pope Francis Prep claimed a 55-48 victory and secured back-to-back championships. This time, it was Central who came out on top, earning a 20-17 win.
The crowd was electric as Longmeadow High School girls basketball faced off against Springfield Central High School girls basketball team in an eagerly awaited rematch of the 2025 Western Mass. Semifinal. This time, Longmeadow claimed the victory, defeating their Central rivals 20-10.
Spectators were on the edge of their seats during a nail-biter battle between the Holyoke and Chicopee boys teams. After 30 intensive minutes, Chicopee edged out Holyoke 19-18.
Chicopee Mayor John Vieau, who coached the team, reflected on the win saying, “It was great, honest competition and I’m proud of the Chicopee kids—they played their hearts out, and the Holyoke team put up one heck of a game. It was a hard-fought win.”
In a low scoring but nevertheless tense matchup, West Springfield edged out Agawam in a gritty 12-11 finish, delivering one of the day’s most suspenseful showdowns and claiming the champion belt for Hooplandia’s hometown.
Hooptacular set the tone for the rest of the weekend with a promise of non-stop action and fun for all ages. The tournament was held Friday through Sunday at ESE with select championship games taking place at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Sunday. Stay tuned to Hoop Scoop for more event coverage.