Court to heat up for Dawg Days

DGKN archive photos from 2019

By ARIEL STAHLER
Gazette & News sports writer

The end of July is known as the dog days of summer, which is characterized by scorching hot temperatures. The Dawg Days basketball tournament brings a new meaning to the term, as players showcase their sizzling skills on the court.

Dawg Days basketball is a 3-on-3 tournament open to all participants from rising stars in the third grade to adults. This is the 16th year for the tournament. It was created by Morgan Wenger and he has served as tournament director since the beginning.

The tournament will take place July 31 at Village Green Park in Dalton. There are seven divisions: Puppy (entering grades 3 and 4), Junior (entering grades 5 and 6), Biddy Ball (entering grade 7), 8th Grade (entering grade 8), Young Bucks (entering grades 9 and 10), High School (entering grades 11 and 12), and Top Dawg (anyone). There is a $100 entry fee for the Puppy-High School teams. Top Dawg teams have an entry fee of $150. Winners of the Puppy-High School divisions will receive medals, where the Top Dawg winning team will take home $2,000.

There will be a food trailer and DJ at the park during the event.

Players do not have to live in Dalton to participate and Wenger said the tournament regularly draws players from all over the state. Many standout college basketball stars have competed in the Dawg Days tournament in past years. Some athletes who formerly played in the tournament include NFL players Shawn Crable and Marquise Blair, as well as Jeff Gibbs, Mario Edwards, Seger Bonifant and Nick Harney, who all played basketball professionally internationally.

For more information, visit dawgdaysbasketball.com.