Fresh on the heels of the Oct. 25 dedication of Giles Park, Rincon City Council members voted Monday night to speed up plans for a second basketball court for the park.

The decision came after hearing from local pastor Greg Brunson about his plans for holding the 3 on 3, My Sons and Me basketball tournament on Dec. 19 at the park.

Brunson, who spearheaded this summer’s “We are One, Effingham” festival, said he hopes this tournament will be a good way to encourage mentoring among the community’s young boys.

“We want to begin to affect some of the men in the community and to reunite some sons and fathers,” he said.

Brunson said he hopes it will give the young men a sense of knowing who the men are in the community that they can turn to and emulate.

“A boy will never become a man unless he sees a man,” said the pastor.

The tournament is open for boys aged 10 to 18 years old. Brunson said they would put together registration packets that will, hopefully, contain a tournament T-shirt, if a sponsor can be found. They also will need volunteers and refreshments for the day.

Rincon Recreation Director David Wooten told council members that since they already had a second court in the budget, it might just be possible to get the bids let and to have the court constructed in time for the event. He said the current plans called for additional parking to be built this year and the ball court built early next year, but that those two projects could easily be switched.

Council members were enthusiastically in favor of the event. Brunson also said the event would be open to any community organization that might benefit.

For more information on the tournament, call (912) 429-3005.