The B-Ball Tournament

Every year at around this time our college has a basketball tournament open to everyone. Every year my fellow grad students and I scrounge up a team or two. The style of these games is decidedly outdoorsy: 5 on 5 with no subs, baskets (all of them) are worth a point, and anyone associated in any way with the college can play (there are teams with all facult members). The only talent rule is a limit on the number of varsity atheletes (1 per team).

So the teams fall into one of three broad categories: 1) Drunk people, 2) Semi-serious but untalented teams, and 3) Serious, talented teams. We fall into that 2nd category. We play to win, but we really aren't that good. This is the first year where we've actually gotten to play our first game in the actual first round. I'd be lying if we didn't think this was a little intimidating. There are something like 500 teams in the tournament, and only the top 30 are ranked, but I get the impression we got stuck playing drunks and short girls the past two years because it was assumed we sucked. They say the rankings are random, but we know better.

But we always crushed those 'play-in' opponents, so apparently we're moving up in the world. If we can win tonights game (apparently against some ROTC guys) then we will have advanced further than any previous year. If we can win just 3 games then we'll make it to the round were they start having refs.

I think we've decided that's the goal. We want to play a game were shouting obscenities at the refs is possible. If we were going up against only our fellow category 2 teams, we might have a chance. Unfortunately, to get there we'd have to play against at least one ranked team, "Hannah's Storm". The last name of their captain is Tallman...that's his frickin' name.

So wish us luck. We're the ultimate underdogs. You thought George Mason was a big upset at the NCAA's because they were an 11 seed? Well the team I'm on is seeded 392. Yeah. In order to get to the round of 64 we'll have to beat a 10 seed. Long live the underdog!

UPDATE!!

Well. We won! 11-21, the other team lost by default because they cheated, which was good, because we got hammered. But I did fill up the stat sheet 2 pts, 1 ast, (3-5) rebounds, 2 steals, 1 block, couple of turnovers. Of course, I should have had about 10 boards, I suck.