For the second year in a row, the RCCDC sponsored Gus Macker tournament returned to Portales — and this year, it came with a story people will be telling for years to come.  What was supposed to be a smooth, high‑energy weekend of 3‑on‑3 street basketball turned into a test of determination, teamwork, and small‑town resilience.

In the days leading up to the tournament, the Gus Macker local committee worked for three days. They unloaded trailers, marked courts, set up basketball goals, erected hospitality tents, and organized merchandise areas. Food trucks lined the edges of the courts, ready to serve the 213 registered teams — some traveling from as far away as Mississippi.

By Friday evening, the ENMU football stadium parking lot had transformed into 21 outdoor basketball courts. Everything was ready for tipoff at 8:30 a.m. Saturday.

After volunteers went home, a sudden storm rolled in. Wind gusts reached 75 mph, tearing through the setup like it was nothing. Tents were collapsed, canopies toppled, goals knocked over, and debris scattered across the courts. Nothing was left un-turned or overturned. When organizers returned to survey the damage, the scene looked hopeless. Gus Macker officials openly doubted the tournament could continue.

Word spread quickly. Phones lit up. Friends called friends. By 4:30 a.m., volunteers began returning — not just the original crew, but even more people than before.  Along with volunteers, local businesses provided equipment such as a sky lift, bucket trucks and forklifts to help set the courts back up. Community members from all over Portales arrived ready to rebuild.

They worked in the pre-down hours, resetting goals, re‑marking courts, raising tents, picking up portable toilets, and restoring what had been lost only hours earlier.

By 8:30 a.m., the impossible had happened: The courts were once again transformed, and the tournament was nearly ready to begin. According to Eric Segovia (President of Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation) “Thirty-plus volunteers showed up with their sleeves rolled up, from all corners of the community to set everything back up in a mere 3-hour span, and just like that, we’re playing ball!  I’m truly move by this community and proud to call this place home.  I thank everyone again for all their efforts! My favorite part was hearing a lady from Ruidoso say her grandson is now considering ENMU after their family had an opportunity to see what a beautiful campus Portales has”. 

Gus Macker officials were stunned. One said he had never witnessed a community response like what happened in Portales that morning. Mike, one of the organizers, echoed the sentiment — the determination, the turnout, the sheer willpower was unlike anything he had seen.

The Gus Macker committee and the Portales community wasn’t about to let visiting teams — including those who traveled across multiple states — down. The town refused to let the tournament die.  The tournament went off as planned with just a short delay in the start-up time.

“According to local organizer and RCCDC Ex. Director, Jodi Diaz said this event takes several months of planning and coordination.  It also requires multiple sponsorships and partnerships in the community.  Jodi said she could not ever begin to express my gratitude to the Gus Macker committee, my family, friends and the Portales community for showing up and helping make this tournament happen.  It was absolutely a team effort everyone stepped up and helped make this successful.  I am blessed to have such amazing people around me. “