NORWICH – Two days before the registration deadline, only 187 teams had registered for the 14th Annual Gus Macker 3 on 3 basketball tournament, but in just a few days, the number had more than doubled, with 424 teams signing up to participate.
The Gus Macker Basketball tournament will kick off its 14th year on Friday evening, as teams made up of nearly 1,700 players flock to Norwich to register for the event. While most of the tournament games won’t officially begin until Saturday, the event will officially begin on Friday night.
Registration will open at 4 p.m. on Friday at the Norwich Fire House and close at 8 p.m. Players will have the chance to scope out the courts and get in some practice time before games begin on Saturday.
Providing some entertainment for the evening, the Norwich City Band will kick off their summer concert performances at 7 p.m. in East Park. The band will play traditional and contemporary favorites, including marches, Broadway tunes, and movie themes.
While the music is playing, the first of many Gus Macker events will begin. The Women’s Three Point Shoot Out, sponsored by Caputo Brothers will begin on Friday night. According to Gus Macker organizer Tom Revoir, this will be the third year the event has included a three point shot competition. Revoir explained that Eddie Caputo came to him three years ago with the idea of sponsoring a competition for women. “We had the slam dunk competition for the men, but there wasn’t really any competition for the women,” Revoir said. After discussing the idea, Caputo decided to sponsor the three point shot competition, and he has been sponsoring it every year since.
The top three shooters in the competition will continue the contest on Saturday afternoon.
Also on Friday, play will begin in the media division, located at center court. Concession stands will open at 5 p.m. and the Norwich Pumpkin Festival committee will be selling Brooks Barbecue chicken behind the firehouse, beginning at 4 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the Pumpkin Festival.
On Saturday morning, the majority of the Macker activity will begin. Registration will reopen at 8 a.m. and continue until 11 a.m. at the Norwich Firehouse. Opening ceremonies for the event will begin at 8 a.m. with a prayer by Father Douglas Cunningham. Games will kick off at 8:30.
In addition to the regular games being played at the 31 courts along Main Street, other activities will be scheduled throughout the weekend. A select number of youth teams will have the opportunity to play on the Frontier Dream Court from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. On the Dream Court an announcer will give play by play descriptions of the events.
For children who aren’t participating in the Macker, the activities will be taking place in the Frontier parking lot. The Evening Sun and Frontier Communications will present the Tom Schwan Memorial Kids’ Court from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday This year, the kids’ court will feature different bounce houses and activities for children of different ages.
The finals of the women’s Three Point Shot Competition and the men’s Slam Dunk Competition will both be held on Saturday evening.
New this year, the Chenango County Blues Festival will take part in Macker activities by holding two concerts on Saturday evening. Deb State will perform from 5 to 6 p.m. and Mutron Warriors will perform from 7 to 9.
On Sunday, the event will continue. Following prayer services at 7 a.m., games will resume at 8. Trophy presentations will begin at 11 a.m.
According to Revoir, the Macker bring approximately 10,000 people to Norwich every year.