NORWICH – Volunteer referee numbers for the upcoming Gus Macker basketball tournament are at an all-time low, organizers say.

Less than two weeks away, the three-on-three tournament has roughly 40 Gus Busters signed up. Normally there are anywhere from 80 to 100 by this time, said Mark Abbott, a head Gus Buster for the event.

“We’re at the lowest, in terms of numbers of referees, that we’ve ever been at,” said Abbott, explaining they need at least 72 to cover – at a bare minimum – the tournament’s 36 courts. “We’re desperate.”

Ideally, tournament officials are looking for people with an understanding of the game to volunteer that Saturday and/or Sunday for a five-hour shift, or less, in the morning or afternoon. They say they’ll do whatever is necessary to accommodate people’s schedules, including those who are playing or have family and friends in the tournament, held July 12 and 13.