The Montague boys basketball program will host a 3-on-3 tournament Saturday, Aug. 3 in a bid to grow the game and give players a summer opportunity to hit the court for organized competition.
Also a big draw: Many of the funds raised from the event will go to benefit No More Sidelines, a Muskegon-area organization that provides sports opportunities to children and young adults with special needs. It’s a cause close to Montague boys coach Nick Thaler, who’s also a special education teacher at the school.
“Working at Grand Haven (before Montague), we did a lot of things with No More Sidelines and working with kids with special needs,” Thaler said. “Watching the excitement they bring, especially when those guys are playing at halftime at Reeths-Puffer (during the Hall of Fame games), it’s a joy to watch. I think that’s a big picture part, doing something bigger than you.”
The tournament has signed up about 20 teams so far, with a stated goal of getting to 50. Boys and girls divisions are planned, with the tournament open to players entering fourth through 12th grades. Registrants will receive a t-shirt, and trophies will be given to the top two finishing teams in each division. The cost to register is $100 per team, with each team guaranteed to play at least three games. The sign-ups cut off this coming Monday, July 22.
Thaler said he felt a 3-on-3 tournament was a good idea in part because of the growth of that format. The sport made its Olympic Games debut in Tokyo in 2021, and the popular Gus Macker tournament celebrates its 50th anniversary this year; Ludington hosts an annual Gus Macker event. Having a similar event nearby offers an opportunity for local players.
There’s been plenty of work behind the scenes to get the tournament organized, especially it being the first time it’s been done.
“I started a couple months ago, talked to some other area coaches about how best to handle this, just to get it out to as many people as possible,” Thaler said. “How much gym space are we going to need as far as courts? Will we need to accommodate courts for the younger groups? I think that’s the biggest thing that’s missed when these events are run. Gus Macker has a dream court where the younger kids can play, but it’s not really modified. My plan is, we can’t really lower the rims because we don’t have the capability right now, but we’ll make the court a little smaller and make the three-point line a little closer so we don’t have to shoot from 19 feet away for two points. We can shoot from 15 feet away. It makes the game a little more fun for everybody.”
At least a few Wildcat players, of course, will likely be part of the event - at least those who can fit the tournament in among summer baseball and football activities, not to mention general life. The idea of fostering a connection between the varsity team and lower levels is also important to Thaler. He noted the girls basketball team’s group outing to a middle school game last season left a big impression on the younger players.
“I think that means a lot to those kids,” Thaler said. “I think if a varsity athlete goes to watch those events, it makes them feel appreciated...The more people see it, the more excited they’ll be about participating in not just basketball but other sports in general.”
A chance to get the competitive juices flowing will also be welcome, since so much of the summer involves intra-team activities.
“I remember when I was a kid playing in these Gus Mackers, winning those events was pretty cool,” Thaler said. “You’re not just playing kids from your area, you’re playing kids from all over. That’s where we’re going with this. We have some teams from bigger schools like Mona Shores. We have some Whitehall students and some Reeths-Puffer kids. It’s great to see kids from different communities have an option.”
