G League Grand Rapids Drive

Gus Macker and Grand Rapids Drive Team up to Present a Tournament at Kenowa Hills

Published on May 8, 2015 under NBA G League (G League)
Grand Rapids Drive News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.- May 8, 2015 - It is a familiar 30-mile drive from Belding to Grand Rapids, and Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball is fired up to make the trip once again.

Gus Macker and the Grand Rapids Drive have joined forces for a June 6-7 Gus Macker Tournament - on the campus of Kenowa Hills High School.

"It just seems right to have a tournament in Grand Rapids, and the Drive seems like the perfect partner," Scott McNeal, a.k.a. Gus Macker, said. "There's a shared passion for basketball and West Michigan."

It's a homecoming for Belding-based Gus Macker, which this summer is celebrating 42 years since the McNeal brothers, Scott and Mitch, first organized a tournament of 18 players in their family driveway in Lowell. The 2015 Tour is underway with 43 events in 13 states currently on the schedule. Visit www.macker.com for more information and to register a team for any of the 43 tournaments, including the Grand Rapids Drive Gus Macker Tournament.

Grand Rapids was the location of Gus Macker company headquarters for six years in the 1990s, and Macker tournaments have been played 23 times in the Grand Rapids area over the last 25 years, including 15 in the downtown streets and seven at Fifth Third Ballpark.

In addition, Gus Macker is familiar with developmental professional basketball as well. Macker owned the then Grand Rapids CBA-franchise for two seasons (1994-95 and '95-96).

"There is a familiarity because the guys at the Drive seem to be a lot like us back in the day when we owned the Mackers," McNeal said. "We're gung-ho about going back to Grand Rapids and having a new partner long-term. Hey, a lot of people think of Grand Rapids as our home. Plus, having it on the Kenowa Hills campus seems perfect. We hope all our Grand Rapids friends come out."

The Drive, a franchise in the NBA Development League and an affiliate of the Detroit Pistons, recently completed their first full season in Grand Rapids playing games at the DeltaPlex Arena. Learn more about the Drive at: www.nbagrandrapids.com

"The concept for the Drive doing this is to let more people know that basketball is truly back in West Michigan, and that people see us involved in the community and realize the brand and how good these guys who play for the Drive are; they are just one step away from the NBA," Ken Fussman, who helped The Drive bring a Gus Macker event back to Grand Rapids. "The Drive have two guys in the NBA now."

Fussman said Lake Michigan Credit Union where he is a senior loan officer has committed financially as a major sponsor to help make Gus Macker's return and The Drive's involvement in Grand Rapids beneficial for all concerned. In addition, Meijer Inc., Peppino's restaurants, Brann's restaurants and MC Sports are sponsors for the local event. He said the first-year goal is for 200 teams and that they would hope to help grow the event and have a long-term relationship with Gus Macker Basketball.

"I have played in many Mackers over the years and this just seems like a perfect fit," Fussman said. "Plus, I have a relationship with Kenowa Hills Public Schools, and they are expanding and are a top school system in West Michigan with a great campus and plenty of room for the courts and parking. It will be fantastic."

Macker tournaments had a long run in Grand Rapids in large part due to a relationship that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Grand Rapids Public School athletics for 22 years. The funds, including $235,000 raised for the 1999 Grand Macker, primarily helped athletes with pay-to-play costs.

The most recent Macker in the Grand Rapids area was in 2013. Metro Health was the major partner and the tournament was held at the Metro Health Village in Wyoming. It raised funds to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for local schools. AEDs are portable devices used to treat potentially life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias.

Check out the Grand Rapids Drive Statistics

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