3-on-3 tournament held to preserve Jackson City State Park basketball courts

JACKSON, Mo. (KFVS) - A 3-on-3 basketball tournament was held in Jackson in an effort to preserve the Jackson City State Park basketball courts.

“It started a few months ago,” said Josh Lukefahr, the tournament organizer. “I wanted to do a project, a GoFundMe page, to rehab the courts. It needs new surfaces. It news new goals and rims and things, so my goal was to raise money for the City of Jackson specifically for the basketball courts so we can have a nice place for kids to play like I did. I grew up here playing.”

Former Portageville star and professional basketball player Jamie Booker made sure he was able to attend this tournament as well.

“When I was about 12 or 13 when I started coming to this court with our AAU team,” Booker said. “We lived on this court from noon until the lights went off every single day. This is a court I grew up on and the main reason I wanted to come back.”

While at the tournament, it was clear that Jackson’s newer generations are finding love for these courts too.

“I’m here a lot,” one player said. “It’s fun to play.”

Lukefahr says his goal is to get people to attend and see the condition the courts are in to raise awareness to the project.

He also says he is working to reestablish the courts as a place to be for kids like it was in the past.

“To see all these people here is super rewarding,” Lukefahr said.

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