A “family reunion” will be taking place this weekend at Dr. Festus Claybon Park- the chance to see some of the best basketball players is just an added perk.
The 2013 Dust Bowl, now in its 3rd decade, will begin today and go on until Sunday. The annual basketball tournament has been put on by Light of Chance for the last four years. “It’s a community thing- the entire family is involved,” Light of Chance director Eric Logan said. “It had lost that family feels so we set on a mission to bring that back and draw people* from the surrounding areas. It’ll be one of the biggest basketball tournaments of the tri-state.”
As of Thursday, there were 14 men’s basketball teams signed up for the event, with Logan saying a couple more could be added at tip-off tonight. The 14 teams is already an increase of last year’s event, which fielded 11 teams.
Each team will be guaranteed to play three games with the single-elimination tournament beginning after pool play is complete. Logan said he doesn’t really know who exactly will be playing in this year’s event, but it always attracts some big names across the southeast and Midwest.
“There should be some collegiate players- from the SEC or OVC – or players that play overseas professionally now,” Logan said.
But it’s more than just a basketball tournament, as Light of Chance will use it as a platform to do some good in the community. The non-profit organization founded in 2005 specializes in community revitalization and will provide numerous free services to the public.
Light of Chance will do health screenings to check for high blood pressure or diabetes and beauticians on Saturday to give children new back-to-school hairdos. On Sunday the barbers from Owensboro, Louisville, and Madisonville will give haircuts for children grades kindergarten through 12th. There will also be an organ donor drive and an opportunity Sunday evening for children to receive free school supplies. There will be two to three games beginning at 7:30 p.m. tonight to kick off the event, with Saturday’s games starting at 11 a.m. and going all day and night. Sunday’s games will begin at 4 p.m.
In addition to the 5-on-5 games, there is a chance for a slam dunk contest and a 3-point contest among the players on Sunday. All teams had to pay a $200 fee, but the proceeds are going to Light of Chance’s after-school arts program, Breathe.
By Mike Stunson
MESSENGER SPORTS WRITER
MTSTUNSON [at] THE-MESSENGER [dot] COM