This weekend, the Kappa Delta sorority will host its annual Shamrock Shootout philanthropy event. The basketball tournament will include 34 teams from 17 different fraternities and other nearby houses, each competing for a chance to play in the final game on Sunday.

The proceeds from the event will go to Children’s Trust Foundation, which works to prevent child abuse.

“[The Shamrock Shootout] is our main philanthropy,” said Amy Esmay, Kappa Delta’s event organizer. “Children go to the trust foundation to get away from abusive families.”

This is the 13th year of the tournament’s support for charity.

“The trust foundation is the only organization in Washington that helps prevent abuse and neglect as opposed to just dealing with the aftermath,” Esmay said.

Last year’s final was refereed by then-Husky basketball players Phil Nelson and Spencer Hawes.

In 2007, Delta Chi beat Pi Kappa Alpha in the final game, which was held at the IMA. Nelson and Hawes made a surprise appearance when they walked onto the court and announced they were going to be officiating the action.

Delta Chi will be defending its crown this year. Ben Goodwin, who lives in a Christian men’s house on 17th Avenue Northeast, is looking forward to trying to topple the defending champs.

“We’re going to give it our best shot,” Goodwin said. “They were really tough last year, but hopefully we can knock down our shots a little bit more this time and play tighter defense.”

For the second year in a row, Kappa Delta held a slam dunk contest at Hec Edmundson Pavilion to kick off the event. Last night’s event was judged by former Husky guard Tim Morris and senior guard Justin Dentmon. They were accompanied by UW senior track star Norris Fredrick and Kappa Delta president Hillary Johnson.

There were four dunk contestants, who were judged on style as well as number of dunks. In concurrence with the slam dunk contest, there was also a 3-pointer competition. The nine 3-pointer contestants were judged strictly on number of 3-pointers made in a minute’s time.

“It’s really cool for the contestants to be able to go out onto the same floor that the Huskies actually play on,” Esmay said.

The cost was $10 to dunk or shoot 3-pointers and $2 to watch, with the proceeds going to the Children’s Trust Foundation.

[Reach reporter Evan Riggs at sports@thedaily.washington.edu.]