In anticipation of the official launch of ShotClub EGOS, sharp shooters from NJ and the DMV (Delaware, Maryland, Virginia) area faced off in an intense Shootout on Saturday, March 18th.

Team DMV consisted of notable former Collegiate and Professional basketball players, including Brian Magid, Louis Bullock, and Dennis Bassich. 65-year-old Brian Magid, also known as the “DMV Legend”, was a leading scorer for George Washington University and was drafted to the Indiana Pacers in 1979. Bullock, age 46, was an all-time leading scorer at the University of Michigan and was drafted to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1999. He continued his professional basketball career overseas, where he dominated the European League until 2012. The youngest on the team, Dennis Bassich, played at St. Vincent’s College in PA, where he led the offense with a deadly behind-the-arc shooting ability. On the other side of the court, Team NJ was represented by three former Collegiate basketball players and top ShotClub shooters, Reggie Selden, Becky Pund, and Erin MacAdams. Selden, 49, is a former stand-out player at Cheyney University and leads in shooting percentage for the Spring ShotClub Season. 27-year-old Becky Pund led a successful basketball career at St. Francis College in New York as a top guard, still showcasing her killer shooting skills with a career high 70% performance during the preliminary ShotClub Season. Erin MacAdams, age 31, was named SJ Player of the Year in her Senior season of High School and went on to play at Stockton University.

Though the game of ShotClub Shootout is enjoyed by a wide variety of individuals – from non-basketball players to current players and former professionals, it really hits the spot for former players. Just when you think your competitive sports career is over, ShotClub provides the opportunity to experience the pinnacle of intensity and competition again, without putting your body on the line. The DMV vs NJ Shootout, diverse in participants, age, and basketball background, was an excellent example of that. 

As both teams took to the court to warm up, the seriousness and competitive focus began to set in – a feeling that was no stranger to each of the former ballers. “It felt like the real deal”, said Becky Pund. “I can’t wait to do it again”. As always, the game begins with a series of mid-range jumpers from four ShotSpots on the floor. Team NJ came out hot, securing 3 out of the first 4 challenges, at which point Team DMV likely realized that even with a massive amount of firepower, they were in for a fight. Switching sides, Team NJ continued to lead in mid-range challenges, until stepping back to 3pt range where DMV took the lead. Sharp-shooting ensued throughout the game, with Luis Bullock shooting 69% for Moneyballs (Moneyballs are worth 2 points and can only be used once per challenge) while Dennis Bassich repeatedly seized on the GameChanger Spot (worth a whopping 5 points) to overcome multiple near-challenge-losses and fend off an efficient Team NJ. As the game progressed, every challenge was highly contested, with back to back makes and misses only sparingly. Team NJ, once trailing by 10 points, willed their way back to just a 2-point deficit with consistent shooting from MacAdams who ended with the second highest overall shooting percentage of 72.9%, and clutch Game Winners from Pund and Selden, a total of 14 combined. The score was 36-34 going into the Bonus Round, where Team NJ knows best from experience, that anything can happen. Up until the Bonus Round, each shooting challenge is assigned a point value, depending on the level of difficulty; whoever wins the challenge, accumulates the points. The Bonus Round, however, is primed for potential comebacks, as each shot made is added to the total team score; specifically, 1 point for mid-range shots, 2 points for 3pt. range shots, and 4 points for a GameChanger (limited to 1 per Bonus Round). This is where Team DMV stole the show, with Louis Bullock shooting a remarkable 100% from 3pt. range, followed closely by Magid’s 92.3% bonus performance, and another demoralizing GameChanger from Bassich. That’s compared to an uncharacteristically weak Bonus Round performance from Team NJ led by MacAdams with 69.2%. Given their stellar Bonus Round shooting, Team DMV was able to add 62 points to their score in 3 minutes, for a final score of 98-76. Louis Bullock, who led all Shooters with an overall shooting percentage of 75%, reflected on his experience: “[I] truly enjoyed myself…it’s competitive – that’s the key. I hope more people see this and come out and enjoy. It’s a great way to get moving, get some cardio in, and have some fun”.

This event kicks off the launch of ShotClub EGOS, which will debut its first official Shootout on Thursday, March 30th at the Blair G. Ewing Center in Rockville, MD. Although the DMV vs NJ Shootout showcased elite shooters, ShotClub offers Shootouts for all levels of shooters over the age of 10. ShotClub EGOS seeks to bring fitness, competition, and great connections to people in the DMV area through the sport of ShotClub Shootout. For more information about the ShotClub and how to sign up, visit our website at shotclubshootout.com.