This weekend marked the much-anticipated return of the Twin Cities Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, the first since the pandemic—and it did not disappoint! Brooklyn Center kicked-off the festivities kicked off on Friday night with a warm and welcoming meet-up at the Embassy Suites Hotel. We extend a heartfelt thank you to Tina Harpke, Nancy Cha, and the entire event staff for their outstanding hospitality. The atmosphere was vibrant, the food was plentiful and delicious, and the DJ had everyone in great spirits, sharing stories from past Gus Macker tournaments. Although no one wanted to admit they had ever received the infamous “toilet bowl” trophy, the laughs and camaraderie were unforgettable. Our out-of-town guests from the Gus Macker organization also thoroughly enjoyed the evening, noting that this was the first time they’d experienced such a special welcome!
The excitement continued on Saturday and Sunday in Brooklyn Park with some phenomenal basketball at North Hennepin Community College. We extend our deepest gratitude to President Ralondo Garcia and his team for hosting the tournament on their beautiful campus. Brooklyn Park proved why our city is a hidden gem for hosting national events, and after this weekend, the secret is officially out!
We’d also like to give a shoutout to Councilman Boyd Morson, whose vision brought the tournament to our cities during this special 50th anniversary year. A special thank you to Cyd Hanson, Jen Durdahl-Johnson, and the entire staff at Minneapolis Northwest Tourism for organizing an incredible tournament with the help of these non-profit youth organizations, Minnesota CHILL Foundation and Forward Thinking Foundation. Both of them have a successful history with their basketball programming. Katie Flanigan was the community outreach coordinator; she had a key role. She is very well respected within the communities and has a huge network of resources to tap into. Alex Hawton was an amazing intern; he was involved with assisting the Macker Man at his appearance throughout the cities. Along with filling in wherever needed. One of the official Gus Macker staff members even remarked that our slam dunk contest’s celebrity judges’ lineup was the best they’ve ever seen! They were Aj Hilton, WCCO news anchor, Tamara Tee Moore, Dallas Mavericks Team Scout, April Graves Brooklyn Center Mayor, President Ralondo Gracia North Hennepin Community College, Willie Burton ex-Minnesota Gopher and retired NBA player and Moses Ehambe assistant coach/player development for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
