IRON MOUNTAIN — The cager craziness that is the annual Iron Mountain Gus Macker 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament took a short break on Saturday for some high-flying antics and entertainment.

Over a half-dozen players competed in the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest held on the main court on Carpenter Street by Iron Mountain High School, with former Superior Central High School and Finlandia University player Joe Heinonen taking the top prize of $200 back home to Trenary.

Cardel Morton, a member of the Kingsford boys varsity team, was second and claimed the $150 prize, while 2021 graduate Lincoln Sager of Marquette Senior High School earned himself $100 for finishing third.

Organizers of the event are looking to turn up the excitement even more in 2024, when they’ll help celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Gus Macker tournament.

Westwood High School's Andrew Niemi goes up for a dunk the Slam Dunk contest held on Saturday, July 15, 2023, during the Gus Macker basketball tournament in Iron Mountain. (Iron Mountain Daily News photo by Dennis Mansfield)

Teresa Cornelia of Kenneth James Salon in Iron Mountain, which sponsors the Slam Dunk event, said they are hoping to entice more participants for next year’s competition by increasing the prize money to $500 for the winner, $350 for second and $250 for third place.

“We’re going to kick it up a little bit,” Cornelia added.

Lincoln Sager of Marquette earned himself $100 for finishing third in this year's Slam Dunk Contest held on Saturday, July 15, 2023, during the Gus Macker basketball tournament held in Iron Mountain. (Iron Mountain Daily News photo by Dennis Mansfield)