Intramural basketball kicks off in blow-out fashion

While most of last week's press went to the upcoming playoff games for the men's and women's basketball teams, many people knew that the real basketball season was just beginning--the season of intramural co-ed basketball.

That's right. Dozens of star athletes who chose the fame, glory, and possible illegal money to play intramural basketball at Tufts University rather than fulfill their expectations at Div. I programs like Duke or Kentucky converged on the courts to bring some of the most intense action around.

"I do it for the ladies, the late nights, the limousines, and the jets," Senior Matt Berlin said. "I turned down offers at Alabama and LSU to come to where the real action was at Tufts University."

After months of anticipating this exciting season, the teams tipped off Sunday for the start of their six-week schedule. After a lengthy opening ceremony, which included a speech by Phil Jackson who got his coaching start many years ago during Tufts intramurals, the games began with the Demo Catchers battling the Grizzlies. While the game showed promise early, the Demo Catchers pulled away late, winning 38-26.

The one o'clock time slot was designated for routs as all four games involved losses by more than 20 points. DU, Illest, and the Hill Hallstars had little trouble pounding away at high school-esque squads the Ballers, Special Sauce and the Funktronics respectively.

The game featuring the Big Guns and Diplomacy was riveting in the beginning as the teams were knotted up at two for a bit before Big Guns pulled away with a 40-19 win. Leading the shellacking was Senior Mark Olowinski, a blue chip recruit from the basketball hot-bed of Idaho, who chipped in 22 points for the Big Guns. They were happy to come away with a win, especially considering the large crowd on hand.

"I enjoyed the gauntlet of autograph seekers as I exited the building," Senior Jeff Malbasa said.

That's right, he used the word 'gauntlet' in a sentence, proof that these athletes not only hit the boards during the games, but the classrooms afterwards.

While other routes proved to be just as uninteresting, there were a few marquee match-ups that formed a playoff-like atmosphere. Ill Sauce, coming off weeks of intense pre-season workouts, brought everything to the table going down to the wire with BIU. With the score sea-sawing back and forth, Ill Sauce squeaked out a 55-52 victory with players collapsing to the floor in exhaustion as the buzzer sounded.

The opening night ended in embarrassing fashion as Noise Game squared off against defending champion Nematoda. The game did, however, feature some ESPN quality dunks by players like senior Brandon Brodeur. Noise Game ended up losing by over 40 points.

"At one point we went on an unbelievable 4-0 run," said senior Kenny Berlin, a member of Noise Game. "I thought we had worn them out. Turns out they were just resting so they could dunk over us, which they did on the very next possession."

Among the many difficulties that teams faced in their first match-ups of the season were the environments, especially down at the cage.

"It felt like prison ball out there," senior Jeremy Schloser said. "Thousands of people clinging onto the nets around The Cage. People may think that the Cameron Crazies are hard to deal with at Duke, but this place is impossible."

The schedules are being given out a week in advance with the next games being scheduled for Sunday, Mar. 2, starting at noon. It is advised to get their days early as tents have already been seen lined up against the gym.