Another Classic in the Books: Rib City Shootout brings in BIG numbers

Another summer is in the books for one of the biggest tournament events in the southeast.

The 2023 Rib City Shootout wrapped up its final game of the season and significantly impacted the Poplar Bluff community with its new expectation to the Black River Coliseum.

Earlier this year, Parks and Recreation and the city of Poplar Bluff collaborated to install basketball courts inside the coliseum to offer more opportunities for the youth.

Tournament director Chad Allen is amazed by the number of teams that made the trip to compete.

“This is definitely the most teams we’ve ever had, and it just seems to keep growing yearly,” Allen said. “Having the new courts placed in the Black River Coliseum helped us expand to the Poplar Bluff area, so adding this location and the facilities really helped with the tournament's growth.”

The shootout expanded to three locations in which Dexter, Cape and Poplar Bluff hosted many competitive games of girl's and boy's basketball with a splash of volleyball.

The tournament brought in over 800 teams from seven states, allowing athletes to be seen by coaches and get a chance to play on the college level.

As the current basketball coach of Dexter High, Allen said the shootout allowed teams to iron out the kinks for the upcoming season. He said it’s a great time to get his players some experience and a perfect time to have some team bonding and learn how to play with each other.

After hosting most of the shootout in Poplar Bluff, Allen felt nothing but positive energy from the community and could tell everyone enjoyed watching their kids play without traveling.

The shootout brought in over 800 teams, expanding to three locations in Dexter, Cape and Poplar Bluff. The tournament hosted many competitive games of girl's and boy's basketball with a splash of volleyball.D'Courtland Christian/DAR

“The community feedback was really good,” he said. “Having access to three locations in the area really worked in our favor and allowed us to bring in many teams. I know they’re excited to have those courts inside of Black River now, and we’ll definitely be utilizing them for many summers to come.”

As Allen continues to find ways to help the shootout expand, he’s looking to add more activities for the visiting teams and families who attend the tournament.

“We want to start offering things for the teams to do when they are away from the court,” Allen said. “Our goal is to find different activities, whether floating to Van Buren or having something to do in Doniphan because I want to include those communities as well. As we head into the offseason, that's one thing that we will look at adding to the agenda next summer.”