Eleven–year-old Redlands resident Luke Mathis doesn’t miss a beat, or a shot. At the end of this month, Mathis will be heading to Las Vegas, Nevada to compete in the Regional contest of the Elks Hoop Shoot Contest. Natural born basketball player, Mathis secured his number-one title as the California/Hawaii State Champion for his third year in a row. His winning statistics were nearly perfect as he made 46 shots out of 50, making his free throw (FT) percentage 92. With this impressive stat, he ranks higher than Los Angeles Clippers Shooter Guard Jamal Crawford who is currently the best FT shooter in the NBA with a percentage of 91.7. Also beating Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry as he holds a FT% of 91.2. Considering the “hardcore” Clippers fan Mathis is, he was very proud of this accomplishment, according to his father Marvin. “This year has been tougher for Luke because there is an expectation of him winning,” Marvin said. “He has really had to focus on the task at hand and try not to look ahead.” Every year, Mathis follows a simple motto: “No Days Off”. No matter if there is an upcoming competition or not, Mathis puts in hard work during the day and even at night, according to Marvin. “We have tried to make every session focused with the emphasis being on a certain area,” he said. Last year, Mathis won the Regional Contest, sending him to the National Contest where he placed fifth. Although only in middle school, Mathis’ long-term goal is to play at the powerhouse school University of Kentucky where a myriad of successful basketball players like New Orleans’ Power Forward Anthony Davis attended. “As his father I am so proud of the young man he is developing into and the drive he exhibits each day,” he shared. “I know that he will succeed in life regardless of how he finishes this year.”

Basketball Star Luke Mathis Heads to Regional Contest of Elks Hoop Shoot