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Saturday, February 9
Updated: February 14, 5:29 PM ET
 
Sacramento wins inaugural Hoop-It-Up

Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA -- The star of "Ed" helped win another trophy for Sacramento.

Tom Cavanagh was the celebrity member of the Kings team that won the inaugural Hoop-It-Up tournament at All-Star Saturday, although he was on the bench when Hedo Turkoglu hit the game-winning 3-pointer that beat Philadelphia 12-9 in sudden-death overtime in the championship game.

"For the few minutes I was out there, I didn't really know I'm in the All-Star weekend, which is great -- otherwise I'd be kicking the ball out of bounds," said Cavanagh, who scored two points in both games he played. "Then when you step on the court, it's 'What am I doing here?' "

The event replaced 2ball and featured four teams comprised of an NBA player, a WNBA player, a former NBA player and a celebrity. There were two semifinals and a final, and it wasn't surprising that the two teams that took the event more seriously made the final.

Playground rules were in effect. The game was 3-on-3 halfcourt, and teams had to take the ball back after a missed shot. It was alternate possession after a made shot -- no "make it, take it." The games were 8 minutes long, with sudden-death overtime.

The semifinals were tepid, and the crowd seemed disinterested at times. The Los Angeles team looked the most formidable, with Derek Fisher, Magic Johnson, Lisa Leslie and singer Brian McKnight, but they were a disappointment.

Fisher and Johnson reflected the casual nature of the event by wearing their sweat pants, and Fisher was just 1-for-8 from the field as the Lakers were routed 25-13 by Sacramento in the semifinals.

Philadelphia beat Houston 16-8 in the other semifinal, with Moses Malone posting up Tina Thompson and using his 6-inch height advantage to make a layup for the game's first points.

Earlier, Sacramento's Peja Stojkavic won the 3-point shootout, and the Kings won the 2ball event last year.

"It looks like it's becoming a tradition that Sacramento takes home the trophy," said Sacramento's Ticha Penichiero, who played for the WNBA's Monarchs.

Many players agreed the event was better than 2ball, which was basically a shooting contest with an NBA and WNBA player teamed together.

"There's more strategy than 2ball," said Dawn Staley, who played for the Charlotte Sing but represented Philadelphia in Hoop-It-Up. "The fans were into it, especially in the second game."





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