First outdoor Gus Macker basketball tournament of the year
Jake May/CM Life File Photo
Flint resident Trever Weston, 25, looks up in awe at his teammate jumps for a rebound at a Gus Macker tournament in this 2000 file photo.
On April 29 through April 30, Gus Macker 3 on 3 basketball is returning to Central Michigan University’s campus for the first outdoor Michigan Gus Macker tournament of the year.
According to the Macker website, this will be the 13th annual Gus Macker tournament in and around Finch Fieldhouse on campus. Each first outdoor Michigan Gus Macker of the year always has a unique theme, and this year the theme is Macker Monopoly.
Check-in for pre-registered teams will take place April 28 from 4-7 p.m. And Saturday check-in starts at 7 a.m., the website said. There will be games and activities throughout the day with the last starting at 6 p.m. The tournament on Sunday will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Gus Macker tournaments are made for everyone, regardless of age, gender, height or basketball experience. This is to “maintain the purity and integrity of the driveway (basketball) game,” as stated on the website. Since 1987, Gus Macker has hosted a total of 972 tournaments with over 2.2 million players, more than 23 million spectators and “approximately $15,000,000 has been raised for worthwhile local charities,” the website said. Charity is the main focus at each Gus Macker event.
During each tournament, all registered teams are matched into gendered divisions, then placed within either junior, adult, or top divisions, all determined by age, height and experience of all the required four players on each team. Every team plays at least three scheduled games each tournament with double elimination rules. If a team loses their first two games they are moved to the consolation bracket, where then they have an opportunity to win a “Toilet Bowl” trophy. The top three teams each leave with either gold, silver, or bronze hardware.
More information about this event or future Gus Macker tournaments can be found on its website.
