Blake Hoffarber
Encyclopedia
Blake Hoffarber is a Senior shooting guard
on the University of Minnesota men's basketball
team. The 6'4", 200 lbs Hoffarber is a Minnetonka, Minnesota
native who gained fame by way of numerous highlight reel shots during the course of his basketball career. The first occurred during the 2005 Minnesota State High School Basketball Tournament against Eastview High School
, for which he won the 2005 Best Play ESPY Award
. The second, a game-winning buzzer beater in the 2008 Big Ten Tournament
against Indiana University
, for which he was again nominated for an ESPY
for Best Play of the Year. He was a 2011 Academic All-American selection.
. In April 2007, Hoffarber was awarded the title of Minnesota Mr. Basketball
, an annual award given to the state's top senior for his play over the course of his high school career.
Hoffarber is best known for a highlight reel shot during the championship game of the 2005 Minnesota State High School Basketball Tournament. With his Hopkins High School Royals trailing by two in the waning seconds of the state championship game, Hoffarber had a loose ball fall into his hands after he was knocked to the ground. While sitting on the floor of the Target Center
, Hoffarber launched an 18 foot shot that went in, sending the game to a second overtime where the Royals eventually prevailed. Hoffarber won the 2005 Best Play ESPY Award
for the shot, beating out Tiger Woods
' birdie chip at The Masters Tournament
. He was also featured on the Today Show in New York City with Matt Lauer
, where he repeated the same shot from his seat again, in which the Today Show donated $10,000 to a charity in Florida
in his name.
Hoffarber helped the Royals to another state championship during his junior year in 2006 when they beat the Robbinsdale Cooper Hawks
in the championship game. Hoffarber's older brother Adam also won a state championship during his senior year at Hopkins. Adam went on to play college basketball at Gustavus Adolphus College
in St. Peter, Minn. Hoffarber's high school coach was his uncle, Ken Novak, Jr.
at the University of Minnesota
on a basketball scholarship. He is currently a senior shooting guard for the Gophers. As a freshman, Hoffarber was one of the top shooters in the Big Ten Conference
in 3-point percentage and is one of the top three-point shooters in the nation. On March 14, 2008, in the Big Ten Tournament
, Hoffarber made a game-winning jump shot as time expired against Indiana University
, which attracted nationwide attention and has been compared to the famous Christian Laettner
shot against Kentucky
in the 1992 NCAA tournament.
On July 1, 2008, ESPN announced that Hoffarber's miraculous shot against Indiana was nominated for an ESPY
for the Best Play of the Year, Hoffarber's second such nomination. On December 15, 2009 Hoffarber tied and then broke the University of Minnesota men's basketball record for 3-point shots made in one game, when he hit 8 out of 10 in an 89-48 win against Northern Illinois University
.
Hoffarber set a single season record at the University of Minnesota for three pointers made during his junior season in 2009-10 with 85. Through three seasons he has made a total of 248 three pointers. On February 22, 2011, Hoffarber was named as a second team Academic All-American, the first Gopher basketball player to be named an Academic All-American.
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
on the University of Minnesota men's basketball
Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball
The Minnesota Golden Gophers men's basketball team represents the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Golden Gophers have played in the Big Ten since the conference began sponsoring basketball in 1905...
team. The 6'4", 200 lbs Hoffarber is a Minnetonka, Minnesota
Minnetonka, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 51,301 people, 21,393 households, and 14,097 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,893.0 persons per square mile . There were 22,228 housing units at an average density of 818.9 per square mile...
native who gained fame by way of numerous highlight reel shots during the course of his basketball career. The first occurred during the 2005 Minnesota State High School Basketball Tournament against Eastview High School
Eastview High School
Eastview High School is a comprehensive and college preparatory public high school located in Apple Valley, Minnesota, USA. Established in 1997, Eastview is the newest of the four high schools serving Independent School District 196. Newsweek ranked the school in their "List of the Top High Schools...
, for which he won the 2005 Best Play ESPY Award
Best Play ESPY Award
The Best Play ESPY Award has been conferred annually since 2002 on the play in a single regular season or playoff game contested professionally under the auspices of one of the four major North American leagues or collegiately under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
. The second, a game-winning buzzer beater in the 2008 Big Ten Tournament
Big Ten Tournament
Big Ten Tournament can refer to any Big Ten Conference sport that has a tournament.* Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament* Big Ten Conference Women's Basketball Tournament...
against Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, for which he was again nominated for an ESPY
Espy
-People:* Cecil Espy , American baseball player* Duane Espy, American baseball figure* James Pollard Espy , American meteorologist.* Mike Espy , American politician* William Gray Espy , American actor...
for Best Play of the Year. He was a 2011 Academic All-American selection.
High school
Blake was a three-time all conference selection in high school where he played for Hopkins High SchoolHopkins High School
Hopkins High School is a public high school located in Minnetonka, Minnesota, a southwestern suburb of Minneapolis. It offers classes for grades 10, 11, and 12. Hopkins High School is part of the Hopkins School District 270 and draws students from the city of Hopkins, central and eastern parts of...
. In April 2007, Hoffarber was awarded the title of Minnesota Mr. Basketball
Minnesota Mr. Basketball
Minnesota Mr. Basketball is an annual award recognizing excellence in Minnesota boys' high school basketball. The female equivalent is Minnesota Miss Basketball. The award was established in 1975 and is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys' basketball senior in the U.S. state of...
, an annual award given to the state's top senior for his play over the course of his high school career.
Hoffarber is best known for a highlight reel shot during the championship game of the 2005 Minnesota State High School Basketball Tournament. With his Hopkins High School Royals trailing by two in the waning seconds of the state championship game, Hoffarber had a loose ball fall into his hands after he was knocked to the ground. While sitting on the floor of the Target Center
Target Center
The Target Center is an arena in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is sponsored by Target Corporation. The arena has a capacity of 20,500 people. It contains 702 club seats and 68 suites....
, Hoffarber launched an 18 foot shot that went in, sending the game to a second overtime where the Royals eventually prevailed. Hoffarber won the 2005 Best Play ESPY Award
Best Play ESPY Award
The Best Play ESPY Award has been conferred annually since 2002 on the play in a single regular season or playoff game contested professionally under the auspices of one of the four major North American leagues or collegiately under the auspices of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
for the shot, beating out Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is an American professional golfer whose achievements to date rank him among the most successful golfers of all time. Formerly the World No...
' birdie chip at The Masters Tournament
The Masters Tournament
The Masters Tournament, also known as The Masters , is one of the four major championships in professional golf. Scheduled for the first full week of April, it is the first of the majors to be played each year...
. He was also featured on the Today Show in New York City with Matt Lauer
Matt Lauer
Matthew Todd "Matt" Lauer . is an American television journalist best known as the host of NBC's The Today Show since 1997. He was previously a news anchor in New York and a local talk-show host in Boston, Philadelphia, Providence and Richmond...
, where he repeated the same shot from his seat again, in which the Today Show donated $10,000 to a charity in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in his name.
Hoffarber helped the Royals to another state championship during his junior year in 2006 when they beat the Robbinsdale Cooper Hawks
Robbinsdale Cooper High School
Robbinsdale Cooper High School is a public secondary school located in New Hope, Minnesota, a northwest suburb of Minneapolis...
in the championship game. Hoffarber's older brother Adam also won a state championship during his senior year at Hopkins. Adam went on to play college basketball at Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly...
in St. Peter, Minn. Hoffarber's high school coach was his uncle, Ken Novak, Jr.
College
Hoffarber announced in October 2006 that he would be attending the Carlson School of ManagementCarlson School of Management
The school offers a bachelor's, MBA, and doctoral degrees, as well as executive education programs hosted domestically and abroad . Dual-degree programs include a JD/MBA, MD/MBA, MHA/MBA, and a MPP/MBA...
at the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
on a basketball scholarship. He is currently a senior shooting guard for the Gophers. As a freshman, Hoffarber was one of the top shooters in the Big Ten Conference
Big Ten Conference
The Big Ten Conference is the United States' oldest Division I college athletic conference. Its twelve member institutions are located primarily in the Midwestern United States, stretching from Nebraska in the west to Pennsylvania in the east...
in 3-point percentage and is one of the top three-point shooters in the nation. On March 14, 2008, in the Big Ten Tournament
Big Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament
The Big Ten Conference men's basketball tournament is held annually at the end of the men's college basketball regular season. The tournament has been played each year since 1998. The winner of the tournament is designated the Big Ten Tournament Champion, and receives the conference's automatic...
, Hoffarber made a game-winning jump shot as time expired against Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
, which attracted nationwide attention and has been compared to the famous Christian Laettner
Christian Laettner
Christian Donald Laettner is a retired American professional basketball player and entrepreneur. He had a distinguished college and national career, and played in the National Basketball Association for thirteen seasons, from 1992–2005. He is presently a minority holder for the Major League...
shot against Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
in the 1992 NCAA tournament.
On July 1, 2008, ESPN announced that Hoffarber's miraculous shot against Indiana was nominated for an ESPY
Espy
-People:* Cecil Espy , American baseball player* Duane Espy, American baseball figure* James Pollard Espy , American meteorologist.* Mike Espy , American politician* William Gray Espy , American actor...
for the Best Play of the Year, Hoffarber's second such nomination. On December 15, 2009 Hoffarber tied and then broke the University of Minnesota men's basketball record for 3-point shots made in one game, when he hit 8 out of 10 in an 89-48 win against Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a state university and research institution located in DeKalb, Illinois, with satellite centers in Hoffman Estates, Naperville, Rockford, and Oregon. It was originally founded as Northern Illinois State Normal School on May 22, 1895 by Illinois Governor John P...
.
Hoffarber set a single season record at the University of Minnesota for three pointers made during his junior season in 2009-10 with 85. Through three seasons he has made a total of 248 three pointers. On February 22, 2011, Hoffarber was named as a second team Academic All-American, the first Gopher basketball player to be named an Academic All-American.