Slamfest draws Porter to Cape

As far as Scott Porter is concerned, coming back to Cape Girardeau each summer to help run Slamfest is as natural as returning to the city to see a son or daughter.

"That's my baby," Porter said. "I wouldn't miss it."

Porter started Cape Girar-deau's popular outdoor basketball tournament more than a decade ago, but he moved to Dallas two years ago.

However, for the second time since he left the area, Porter will be on hand this weekend for the 13th annual Slamfest at Indian Park.

The event officially begins at 6 p.m. Friday with a gospel concert, although the actual games don't start until Saturday at about 8 a.m. Play also will start Sunday at around the same time, with the championship game scheduled for approximately 4 p.m.

"It's going to be my 13th year, and it's still just as exciting as ever," Porter said.

Porter said when he originally came up with the idea for Slamfest, his expectations were simply to put on a nice little neighborhood gathering.

But the first Slamfest stunned Porter by attracting about 1,500 spectators. It has been a staple of outdoors hoops in Cape Girar-deau ever since, annually attracting several thousand people for the weekend.

"It's just kept growing and growing," Porter said. "We've had more than 3,000 people the last few years, and I expect at least that many again."

For a causePorter emphasized that the event is about much more than simply shooting hoops.

The tournament raises money for the House of Prayer Educational Youth Domestic Center in Cape Girardeau. There will be refreshment booths, carnival games for youngsters and plenty of gospel music by local choirs along with performers from out of town.

For the first time this year, the event begins a day early with the gospel concert. Porter credited corporate sponsor Bird & Associates for several added features, including Friday's concert.

"Bird & Associates, they've been so great, they've helped pump a lot of money into the tournament, and because of them we're able to do some stuff we normally wouldn't do," Porter said. "The Gospelfest is going to be huge. It'll be a good way to get everything kicked off, and the music will carry over into Saturday and Sunday. The carnival games for the kids is also new."

Porter said more than $10,000 has been raised each of the last few years, and he anticipates reaching that figure again.

"This whole thing is about community unity, bringing people together, showing love," Porter said. "We never have any trouble. It's just a wonderful event for the community."

The 14-team tournament annually includes quite a few past and present collegiate stars, and Porter said the talent level should be as good if not better than ever.

The defending champion is a team from Charleston that also captured the title in 2001. A Cape Girardeau squad that lost by five points in last year's finals figures to contend, as should several other teams.

"It's always a wide-open tournament, but every year there is great basketball," Porter said. "Charleston looks pretty strong, so does the Cape team, and a team from Cairo looks good.

"We've got teams from Atlanta, Chicago, Peoria, a couple from St. Louis. Players are coming from all over. People who have played in this thing before live all over the country and they call their friends to come and play."

Slam-dunk and 3-point shooting contests will take place Sunday between games along with a ballhandling contest that is a new feature.

Porter credited Stafford Moore, assistant youth pastor at the House of Prayer, for playing a major role in helping organize Slamfest this year.

"He's done a great job, because living out of town I just can't do as much as I would if I were still in Cape," Porter said. "Hopefully people will continue to come out and support Slamfest, because it's for a great cause and it's a lot of fun."