By: Meghan Coyle, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, mtc5382@psu.edu
Cold temperatures and wind didn’t stop students from coming out to support their friends on the evening of Wednesday, October 17 when Penn State Brandywine’s MarComm Club took full advantage of the new, lighted outdoor basketball courts to host a basketball tournament on campus.
Bobbi Caprice, assistant athletic director, recruiting/intramural/fitness center coordinator said, “We just put them (the lights) up. The courts are just a little over a year old. The lights just got moved to the courts this summer.” The courts are available for students to use, unless they are reserved for an event. Caprice said, “They (the lights) currently stay on until 11 p.m.”
The tournament kicked off at 6 p.m., when the players arrived, checked in and paid. The cost of the tournament was $3 per person. Twelve teams with three players each participated in the event. Some teams had four players, allowing them to make substitutions. However, that was not the case for all of the teams.
The first game began at 6:10 p.m., and there were two games being played at once, with each game being played on one half of the court. Since games were being played on just one court, this allowed players from other teams to use the other court to warm up.
Games were played for 15 minutes or until one of the teams scored 21 points. A total of 11 games were played, and a couple of them went into overtime since they were tied after 15 minutes. Spectators gathered around the court to watch.
When it got down to the final four teams, there was a slight break in the action, and there was the opportunity to take half-court shots for $1. After the half-court shots finished up, two games were played to determine the two teams who would play in the final game of the night.
Before the final game of the night, the Lion’s Roar step team performed for the crowd of people gathered along the sidelines of the courts. They received much applause from the crowd both at the end of their performance, and during their performance.
Finally, it was time for the final game of the night. The winning team, as well as the runner-up team both received T-shirts for making it to the final game. The winners also received $60 and were excited about winning the tournament.
Garrett Ripp, one of the players on the winning team said, “I have never had a greater feeling.”
Spectators braved the cold weather to come out and support their favorite team(s) and/or player(s).
Overall, the tournament was a success for the MarComm Club. The players and others who came out to the event seemed to enjoy it.