Gus Macker basketball tournament draws 170 teams to Mount Pleasant

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Football season has almost arrived. But it was basketball on display this weekend in Lot 62 outside Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

The Gus Macker three-on-three basketball tournament made its first stop in Mount Pleasant and hosted 170 teams.

“I’ve been doing it for about 20 years, it’s good for the kids and families,” Grand Rapids native and volunteer official Dan Dunning said. “I do about five or six a year.”

Team Gilbert

For some, such as Augusta sophomore Adam Gilbert, it was their first time in the tournament.

Gilbert decided to form a team with friends he met during his freshman year at CMU. Stepping on the court with him was Kentwood sophomore Neil Orchard and a pair of DeWitt sophomores, Nick Mello and Clay Sutherland.

“We all like playing basketball,” Gilbert said. “First, it was me and Neil, and I remembered these guys from last year and I called them up.”

“Team Gilbert” almost did not step on the court, though. When the brackets went online 9 p.m. Friday, the team was not listed. It was forced to scramble early Saturday morning to find out its status.

“I got a call at 6:30 this morning and then I had to call the guys to let them know, and then we had to run around looking for shirts,” Gilbert said.

That did not stop the players — they went out at 9 a.m. and won their first game, beating “Sacred G” 15-9. The squad finished the tournament with a 2-2 record after being eliminated by the same team Saturday afternoon.

Overall, the squad had fun throughout the tournament.

“It was a good time, well ran,” Mello said.

Despite the gusty conditions, Grand Rapids Community College student Haley Andrews, Orchard’s girlfriend, was in the stands watching the entire time.

“I was here for the weekend, so I thought I’d come out,” Andrews said.

‘Great for the kids’

Andrews was not the only one braving the cold weather to watch someone she cares about.

George Harrington of Hemlock was on the sidelines watching his 14-year-old daughter, Karli, participate in the girl’s division.

“It’s great for the kids,” Harrington said. “Karli is going to be an eighth-grader, and I have another daughter that’s going to be a sophomore this year … the opportunities for girls have really expanded.”

Gus Macker founder and Greenville resident Scott McNeal was on hand Saturday to present the Athletic Department with a $10,000 donation toward the new CMU Events Center and said they plan to return next year.

“The lead-up was frustrating with the weather,” McNeal said. “This was a unique test with the college market; our goal is to bring it back every year as a fundraiser.”

Other festival events included a canoe race, slam dunk, three-point and free throw contest, inflatable obstacle course, free concert, and the Taste of Mount Pleasant.