IPSWICH – When George Norris lost his life after a tragic biking accident in 2020, his son Jack wanted to do something to honor his memory.
Five years later, Norris and several of his friends will be hosting the fifth annual George Norris 3-on-3 Charity Basketball Tournament on Saturday at Ipswich High School. Every year the tournament has grown in terms of number of teams, money raised for charity, and social media engagement.
“This will be the biggest tournament to date,” Norris said. “Special thanks to my family, church family, work families, and friends for helping out year after year. This event wouldn’t be possible without them.”
Sign-ups opened May 16 and more than 60 teams joined in the opening two weeks. Because of the popularity of the event (which started with 24 teams five years ago), there are two divisions for all the teams. This is the second year the Silver Bracket will return to the tournament.
The community has done its part to ensure the event is one of the premier ones on the North Shore. Yoga with Kayla Ladin (Namastayla) and courtside haircuts will return again this year as well. For the first time there will be cold plunges outside provided by Felix Family Farm.
In addition, there will be donated products from LMNT and That’s It, along with gift cards and other prizes donated from local businesses. Among the sponsors who stepped up are The Rest Stop, DF Clark, New England Biolabs, Ipswich Shellfish, RCA CPA, The Clam Box, Zenos, DJ Plumbing, The Newburyport Basketball Academy and Pomodori’s).
There will be plaques and custom embroidered hats made by Neska Design available for players to win through main events, as well as side events like the 3-point contest and knockout. Food and drinks are all free with a suggested donation of $5.
