Two years ago, Jackson Bailey won his division of the local NBA Skills Challenge, and went on to place second at an all-expense-paid trip to the national competition in New York.
This year, the 13-year-old from Tipton will turn 14 a few days after the deadline to be able to compete, so he came to watch his 11-year-old sister, Charlee.
Jackson's older sister plays basketball, too, just like both of their parents did through high school.
"We spend a lot of time on the courts," mom Trisha Bailey said. "It's pretty much a year-round sport for us."
Jackson said he started playing in kindergarten. His mother said he played with older kids, and was fortunate to be able to play on some teams earlier than normal.
Now, he plays on a school team and a traveling team.
"It keeps me calm and focused," he said.
Before the event, he said of Charlee: "She's pretty good."
It turns out he was right. Charlee won her age division, and will be one of a dozen competitors to move to the regional competition Feb. 24 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Thirty-four youths competed at the annual competition, which has been sponsored locally by the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department for the past three years.
The event lets the participants showcase their basketball skills through a dribbling, shooting and rebounding competition. They each had one minute to dribble between cones, then shoot shots that could count for one to six points, depending on the distance. After their minutes were up, they had a chance to shoot a free throw for another three points.
Boys and girls competed in two age groups: 11 and younger and 13 and younger.
There was no entry fee, and everyone who participated received coupons for a free ice cream cone at Daisy Delight and a set of five multi-colored wristbands.
The following qualified to move on to the regional competition, with their point totals in parenthesis:
11U girls:
1. Jillian Moseley (18)
2. Maddy Larkin (17)
3. Alyssa Bilyeu (10)
11U boys:
1. Maxon Fischer (31)
2. Logan Hoffman (29)
3. Talon Hull (26)
13U girls:
1. Charlee Bailey (30)
2. Kaylee Redcay (2)
13U boys:
1. Evan McCullough (27)
2. Ryan Glavin (22)
3. Nick Closser (18)