HOOPSTERS IN SPIRITED GAMES AT INDIAN PARK

Go to a high school, college or pro basketball game and it's indoors. The floors are wood, the room air-conditioned, the lighting artificial.

Go to the SlamFest in Indian Park and the players contend with the hot summer sun on a concrete court as gospel music blares out of speakers.

Ron Jones, a former Missouri and Cape Central star, has played it both ways. "I grew up in Cape, and all we played was street ball," Jones said. "It's a good event, even if it's 110 degrees."

The weather for the SlamFest this year was far from 110 degrees. Regulars said it was the coolest weather in the six years of SlamFest.

Jones said he likes playing in a public park in front of people he grew up with against quality teams. His teammates included former Southeast Missouri State players Mike Crane, Curtis Shelton and Luther Bonds, players he's played pick-up games with for years.

Still, his team bowed out of the 10-team double elimination tournament after four games, because the others sported lineups just as impressive with players who've known each other since childhood. Teams came from St. Louis, Cairo, Chicago, Mounds, Malden, Sikeston and Charleston, as well as Cape Girardeau.

The winner, for the third year in a row, was the Sixers from St. Louis. Marcus Stanfield of the Sixers won his second straight slam-dunk title in front of 500 spectators ringing the court.

Jones doesn't just come to Slamfest every year to play ball. The State Farm Insurance agent sets up a booth and gives away teddy bears, key rings, pencils, children's road atlases, tote bags and other gifts to children. "I like giving back to the community," he said, estimating that he gave out about $1,000 worth of merchandise.

He wishes he could have given the community a better performance on the basketball court. "When you own your own business and sit behind a desk all day, it's hard to compete at this level," Jones said.

Scott Porter, youth leader at the House of Prayer, organized the event. He said the event isn't really about basketball, but to "bring this community together and show we can do something positive" and to reach "out and try to draw more souls to Christ."

The ever-present gospel music -- mostly recorded, but some live -- is there for "the atmosphere it creates," Porter said.

Jones and other players said they block the music out when they play. But children bounced in time to the music as they climbed up to the slides in the playground.

Police reported that the only problems were with traffic.

"If they had more events like this, it would cut down on problems," said Lonnie McBride, a Cape County Juvenile Officer.

He said children participate in the event as more than spectators. The House of Prayer gets some to perform tasks like picking up paper.

"They give them some responsibility and make them feel like they're wanted," McBride said. "They feel better about themselves."