SLAMFEST BIGGER, BETTER THAN EVER

What began almost a decade ago as a small neighborhood outdoor basketball tournament has grown into what Scott Porter believes is one of the finest events of its kind in the entire state.

Porter, tournament director for Slamfest, had to turn away about 25 teams for the ninth annual event that will take place Saturday and Sunday at Indian Park in Cape Girardeau.

"Sometimes I just can't believe how big this has gotten," said Porter. "It just keeps getting bigger and bigger. We've generally had about 12 teams in the past, but this year we've got 16 teams. I actually had about 25 teams that called the last couple of days, but I had to turn them down because we already had it filled."

Although the competition is very good -- "We'll have some unbelievable talent here again," said Porter -- basketball is just part of what has turned Slamfest into an extremely popular event. The two-day affair, which raises money for the House of Prayer Educational Youth Domestic Center in Cape Girardeau, generally attracts a few thousand spectators to Indian Park.

"As always, we'll have entertainment Sunday, with local (singing) talent. We'll have great refreshment booths both days, with food and drink," said Porter. "And this year we're having a classic car show on the other court at the park.

"The basketball is always great, but people come out for a lot more than the basketball. It's always a tremendous atmosphere. We've got the best referees, good food, a good show. It's always real peaceful and we never have any problems. It's just a lot of fun for everybody. People come from all over to be a part of this and I encourage everybody to come on out and enjoy it. It's not only a great event, but it's for a really good cause."

As for the basketball, Porter said that the talent level seems to increase every year and this weekend should be no different, with a host of past and present collegiate stars -- not to mention a few professional players taking part, along with the assorted playground standouts.

Porter said current NBA players Tyrone Nesby, Chris Carr and Troy Hudson are scheduled to compete for a team from southern Illinois. Nesby is from Cairo, Ill., while Carr and Hudson both played at Southern Illinois University.

According to Porter, former DePaul standout Skip Dillard is supposed to bring an exceptional team from the Chicago area, and the St. Louis Bulls -- who won the prestigious Open Division at the Show Me Games this summer -- should be extremely strong.

Another St. Louis squad, the Sixers, won the tournament four straight years from 1995-98 before having its streak snapped last year. That team is again expected to be strong.

Porter said Charleston, which has turned out some top-flight players over the years, will once again field a solid team, while some Southeast Missouri State University players will also have a strong squad.

Several teams from Cape Girardeau featuring a host of local standouts annually compete, and there will also be other teams from southern Illinois and the Bootheel.

Last year, a team from Cairo captured the title, defeating a squad of Southeast players in the final.

Games last a maximum of 50 minutes (two 25-minute halves) and they end earlier if one team reaches 50 points (field goals are either two-pointers or three-pointers). Action will begin at 8 a.m. both days, with the championship expected to be played at about 5 p.m. Sunday.

There will be no slam-dunk contest this year, but there will be a three-point contest at about 3:30 p.m. Sunday.

"Players are usually so tired, they want to conserve their energy, so only a few people would get in the slam-dunk contest," Porter said. "We decided not to have one this year, but there should be a lot of people in the three-point contest."

As for which team might emerge as Slamfest champion, Porter laughed and said he didn't have a clue.

"People have been asking me that and I just don't know," he said. "It's gotten so strong now, I think anybody could win it. All the teams are going to be really, really good. It'll be the best competition we've had yet.

"It's gotten to the point where this is honestly one of the best tournaments in the state."