Prime time for intramurals
Intramural sports give SPU students chance to put their athletic abilities on display
March 3, 2020
Both intramural basketball and intramural volleyball had their championship games this week. Basketball played their semifinals and finals Monday, while volleyball played their finals Wednesday.
Monday night, intramural basketball’s semifinals kicked off with the undefeated first seed Small Baller Brand taking on the fourth seed Lil Ballers.
Small Baller Brand was comprised of multiple former high school basketball players and had gone 6-0 through the regular season and the playoffs. Lil Ballers on the other hand was full of SPU men’s and women’s soccer players and they had gone 4-2 through the regular season and playoffs.
It was clear that Small Baller Brand was the favorite.
“I think we have a pretty good chance at the championship, we’ve never been beat so the record speaks for itself,” Small Baller Brand’s Trent Clark said.
On the other side, Lil Ballers came in prepared for the upset.
As the game tipped off, it became clear that Small Baller Brand was on upset alert. Both teams struggled to make shots, but Lil Ballers managed to take a 22-19 lead into halftime.
“It’s just fundamentals and hard work,” Titus Grant of Lil Ballers said. “We’re forcing them to take shots they are uncomfortable with and we are making our shots.”
Lil Ballers continued to pester the number one seed in the tournament, and ultimately completed the unlikely victory 37-33.
“We had a couple guys out sick and doing homework, but we put the team together and just came in and we were intense about it and we got the game win,” star player Sam Malloch said.
Lil Ballers had to wait for the winner of the other semi-final between the second seed Black Student Union and the third seeded Bron Bron.
Hayden Ordone of the Black Student Union team came into the game playing for much more than himself.
“Mamba mentality, you got to pay homage to him,” Ordone said referring to the late Kobe Bryant. “It’s February 24 so gotta pay homage to him and Gigi.”
As the game tipped off, Black Student Union took an early commanding lead. The score was 42-28 going into halftime yet, despite the deficit, Perry Benisa of Bron Bron did not lose confidence.
“We just gotta make shots. [The] team is moving well, we just gotta finish at the end of the day, make shots and get rebounds. It’s a good game so far,” Benisa said.
This positivity led to an incredible comeback that saw Bron Bron tie up the game at 58 with a minute to go. Ultimately, a clutch shot and some clutch free throws from Hayden Ordone led to a nail biting win for Black Student union.
They set up an exciting championship matchup against the fourth seeded Lil Ballers. Yet, despite all the expectations, the game did not live up to the hype. Black Student Union thoroughly dominated the game and ultimately won 71-41.
Draped in a Championship T-Shirt and basking in glory, Kendrick Bynum explained what it took for Black Student Union to bring home the championship.
“The first couple games were rocky,” Bynum said. “What kept us in our flow was our minds being together and all that stuff.”
Wednesday night, the Volleyball intramural championship graced the floor of Royal Brougham. The number one seed Adam Dwiver Uwu who had gone 7-0 during the season faced off against the upset-minded Blockbusters who came in 5-2.
Both teams explained their magical seasons during warmups.
“We started 0-2, but then Kristoff joined and we haven’t lost since,” Blockbuster’s player Matthew O’Leary said.
“I learned that you have to go to the bathroom before every game, that way I can jump higher and be lighter,” Kristoff Ty said.
Adam Dwiver Uwu came in looking to cap off a perfect season, which was dedicated to their love for Kylo Ren actor, Adam Driver.
“We were trying to figure out a name and our resident team member Bennet has a very deep love for Adam Driver, and Uwu is just a meme,” team captain Jack Wilsie said.
Blockbusters looked hungry in the first set as they coasted to a 25-18 win, putting them one set win from the upset and a championship. Despite facing adversity, Adam Dwiver Uwu did not panic.
“Adam Driver is with us, he went through some hard stuff as my boy Kylo Ren and he bounced back, just like we will,” team member Bennet Spencer said.
Bounce back they did, Adam Dwiver Uwu won the next set 25-15 in dominant fashion, before winning a nail biting third set 15-13.
“I just want to thank our intramural coordinators, they put a lot of work into this and dealt with a lot of attitude from us so I appreciate them,” Nicholas Terhaar of Adam Dwiver Uwu said.
With winter quarter intramural sports wrapped up, and with the basketball and volleyball champions crowned, both Black Student Union and Adam Dwiver Uwu can forever call themselves champions.
“This moment is pretty emotional, I’m probably going to cry,” Kaley Oschmann of Adam Dwiver Uwu said.
