Former Shadle Park Stars Reuniting For Hoopfest

They became best friends while at Shadle Park High School, helping the Highlanders win a State AAA basketball championship in 1990.

Then Rob Corkrum and Aaron Childress went their separate ways.

Washington’s AAA Basketball Player of the Year, Corkrum attended Washington State University on a basketball scholarship. This year, he completed his career with participation in the National Invitational Tournament.

Childress attended Community Colleges of Spokane, where he became the Sasquatch all-time leading scorer, and Eastern Washington University and wound up a non-player at Gonzaga University.

The two will be reunited this weekend at Hoopfest, Spokane’s tribute to basketball that is beginning to rival Bloomsday as an annual sports happening.

“I called him four months ago, asked him if he wanted to be our big man, and he said yes,” Childress said of his reunion with Corkrum.

They’ll team with a pair of Whitworth College players, Kevin Wright and Greg Stern, in the open category.

It will be Corkrum’s first Hoopfest and Childress’ first in four years.

The two were major ingredients of Shadle’s state championship team.

The 6-foot-8 Corkrum was Shadle’s featured player and MVP of the Greater Spokane League and state tournament. He averaged 17.9 points per game over the course of the season and was an early WSU signee.

Childress was a player in constant motion, doing the work it took from a small forward to average 16.5 points per game and be the team’s catalyst.

“When I was in high school, I think that hit it right on the nose,” said Childress. “I was kind of a blue-collar guy.

“But to win a state championship you need more than just two players. We had a great starting five and a strong bench.”

Although separated after high school, Childress and Corkum had certain parallels in their collegiate careers.

Corkrum only occasionally showed flashes of his high school promise.

Following his record community college career, Childress spent an unfulfilling year at Eastern and transferred to Gonzaga University, where he red-shirted but did not receive the necessary scholarship in order to remain.

He is a year away from an education degree but is leaning toward joining the Washington State Patrol.

Now Corkrum and Childress, along with numerous current and former North Side athletes and families, will team up again for Hoopfest, which has grown from 511 to more than 3,600 teams.

“Me and Rob were pretty close in high school,” said Childress, “We hung out and played in the summers together. When he went to WSU, we stayed in contact.”

Corkrum and the 6-foot-5 Childress won’t be the tallest players, nor the smallest. Ex-collegians with size and muscle abound in the open division. But the two Shadle graduates figure to hold their own.

“Kevin and Greg just got done with their last year of college hoops. We played together for two years in community college, and I know how Rob plays,” said Childress.

“I don’t think we should have too bad a time.”

Although the half-court street game is a bit different than the college variety the players are used to, Childress is certain his team has what it takes to accept the challenge.

He’s excited for the opportunity.

“I haven’t played with Rob for two summers, but I think we can light the spark up,” said Childress.

“We’ll move, hit the boards and take the open shot when we’ve got it. With Rob and his quickness, I think we can post up quite a bit.

“It should be fun. I’m looking forward to it.”

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Photo