LOUISA COUNTY, Va. -- Louisa County Middle School hosted its annual Math Hoops tournament on Tuesday, bringing together 28 students for their very own "Math Madness."
The competition, which involves no real hoops or basketballs, is centered around a board game created by the NBA that merges basketball strategies with math skills.
Students from the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades took turns drafting NBA players at the start of the academic year and used those players’ live statistics to advance in the game.
"They get to play a game of basketball through math skills and math facts and collaboration and communication," said teacher Bobbi Jo Idzenga.
In 10-minute rounds, students tackled mathematical problems, spinning and moving up in the basketball brackets with each victory. Sixth-grader Antonio Siegrist clinched 2nd place in the tournament.
"I clutched up a lot," said Siegrist.
His classmates, Max Wells and Grayson Shaw, also secured positions in the top three.
"I had a feeling I was going to be in the top podium," Wells said.
Meanwhile, Shaw, who had a challenging start, expressed his relief at winning a spot: "I didn’t think I was going to win at the start because I was down 6-0 and he was about to hit the game-winning shot."
Seeing the excitement and enthusiasm in students, this is the second consecutive year the school has facilitated Math Hoops. Students appreciated the competition for allowing them to showcase their math skills and hoped it might inspire others.
"I really love it," Siegrist said. "Because now I can show people around the world that I like math and maybe to inspire others."
Fourteen Louisa County Middle School students will be headed to D.C. next weekend for the regional Math Hoops competition.
Do you know about a good news story in your community? Email the CBS 6 Newsroom.
📲: CONNECT WITH US
Blue Sky| Facebook| Instagram| X| Threads| TikTok| YouTube
