Desmond Ferguson grew up in Lansing at the height of the downtown Lansing Gus Macker 3-on-3 tournaments in the early to mid-90s. He’d love to bring that vibe back to Lansing again.
So he’s moving the annual Moneyball 3-on-3 tournament to the streets of downtown Lansing — more specifically Washington Avenue, between Ionia and Shiawassee streets, Aug. 2 and 3. The event was previously held in Delta Township.
“I remember being in middle school and high school, seeing it downtown. It was the first time I saw Shane Battier play,” Ferguson, the founder of Moneyball Sportswear and the Moneyball Pro-Am, said. “I really wanted that old Gus Macker feel.”
Gus Macker 3-on-3 tournaments were a staple of Labor Day weekends in downtown Lansing from 1989 through the mid-90s. The plan was to bring it back sometime in 2020. Then the pandemic hit.
The Moneyball 3-on-3 is a similar-style tournament, with age divisions ranging from third and fourth grade through 35-and-older. The cost is $130 per team (four players per team), with a complementary custom Moneyball 3-on-3 jersey. Games are first to 15 points or for 20 minutes, whichever comes first.
Those wishing to participate can register through July 29 at shop.moneyballsportswear.com/lansing-moneyball-3-on-3.
Contact Graham Couch at gcouch@lsj.com. Follow him on X @Graham_Couch and on BlueSky @GrahamCouch.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Wanting that ‘old Gus Macker feel,’ Moneyball 3-on-3 basketball tournament moves to downtown Lansing, Aug. 2-3
Reporting by Graham Couch, Lansing State Journal / Lansing State Journal
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