JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When Will Holloman was heading into his sophomore year of high school, his basketball team at Wolfson underwent dramatic changes.
Multiple stars either transferred or graduated. Those defections left Holloman as the player his coach liked to call the “lone wolf” because he stayed with the program. It was an underdog role he embraced and used to become the third-leading scorer in area history at the time.
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Fast forward to the present and Holloman still thrives with that underdog mindset. When the thought of launching a 1-on-1 local basketball tournament arose, Holloman had obstacles and doubters galore. He had to land sponsors. A venue. Map out the nuances of an event like security and pyrotechnics. And, Holloman had to convince potential players that it was legit.
The Holloman Challenge has evolved from just a thought to a smaller event into now, an actual significant tournament with major backing and a hefty payout to the winner. The third edition of the 1-on-1 showcase with a $5,000 prize arrives Saturday night at San Jose Prep (6:30 p.m.).
The first 1-on-1 game in the 16-player tournament begins at 7.
“I just had that type of attitude where I felt like I was the best basketball player on any court I was on and that’s what I’m trying to attract. That’s what I’m trying to bring out those guys who felt how I felt. Was I always right? Of course not. But I always felt like I can go toe to toe with anybody.”
Holloman said that building an event from the ground up is similar to the sport itself. There are rejections and failures galore in trying to convince sponsors to sign on. But Holloman is grateful for the ones who have lined up to back the event, a diverse sampling that includes oral surgeons, law offices, realty services, wellness companies, a cel phone provider and meal prep service JetPack Nutrition.
“Without people like this, there is no $5,000 prize,” he said.
In the first edition of the $5,000 tournament, Aluk Adub topped Stuckley Mosley for the crown. Last year, Sandalwood grad Travis McConico walked away with the top prize with a win over Dylan Cormier.
Holloman’s tournament also introduced a women’s 2-on-2 tournament this year that awarded $2,500 to the winners, Bernie Buckets and Ribault High grad and current NFEI coach Sherranda Reddick.
“It’s big, and it’s going to continue to get bigger. Like I said, I would have wanted someone to do that for me [in high school]. I would have wanted that type of opportunity,” he said. “So, you know, it gives me great joy to be able to hand some of these guys the most money they have ever had in their life.”