128 players, 32 teams of four, continuous three-on-three action and $100,000 were on the line for UNI’s very own senior Bennett Koch and other hoopers within the valley.

Koch, forward for UNI’s basketball team, had recently been invited to participate in the first annual Dos Equis three-on-three National Championship in San Antonio, Texas.

32 four-man teams from colleges across the nation will face off in a three day, three-on-three basketball tournament with cash prizes for the winning teams.

The rules for the tournament are as follows: half-court with a 12 second shot clock, baskets inside the arch only count for one point, downtown baskets earn the player two points and, finally, first team to 21 wins the game.

Koch, alongside other players from the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC), including Donte Thomas (Bradley), Brenton Scott (Indiana State) and Tevonn Walker (Valparaiso) will compete for the first place championship prize of $50,000

For each pool play victory, the deserving team will be awarded $1,000. Additionally, a quarterfinal win, a semifinal victory and a third place finish will also earn the teams $1,000 apiece.

Koch recently earned his third-team All-MVC award, putting up a majority of UNI’s points with an average of 12.7 points per game. Additionally, Koch recorded 26 blocks and became the 42nd Panther to record 1000 career points. He finished his collegiate career with 1,028 total points. This season, he recorded 189 total rebounds and in his highest scoring game this season, Koch scored 30 points on his own.

As for Koch’s other teammates, in the 2017 regular seasons, Thomas shot roughly 54 percent from the field and 22 percent from three. For a 6”7’, 225 lbs. forward, his great stature allowed him to bully opponents inside as he averaged 12 points a game, as well as seven rebounds.

It is worth mentioning that in filling the team’s role of “big man,” Thomas had two seasons throughout his colligate career where he made over 70 percent of his free throws.

Scott, from Indiana State, was an offensive juggernaut, showed strong efforts for the Indiana State Sycamores. He sat out his initial season, only playing a single minute on the court. 

In the following years, he proceeded to drop 352 points, 466 points, 493 points and, finally, his senior year he put up a whopping 449 for a total of 1,760 points. His senior year, he averaged 14.5 points per game.

Walker ran the guard position for Valparaiso. Similar to Scott, he was an offensive powerhouse. His sophomore year was the only season he did not average over 10 points a game.

His court vision was particularly strong as he was just shy of recording 200 assists throughout his four years as a Crusader.

At the end of the tournament, the Big Ten team of Jae’Sean Tate, Nate Mason, Robert Johnson  and Vince Edwards won the $50,000.