Some teams in bookstore basketball like to get pumped up for their games by bringing boom boxes and blasting music. The Apostles were no different, though their introduction music wasn't exactly "Eye of the Tiger" or any other classic pre-game song. The Apostles began their game by playing chants and other choir music. This was only the beginning of their pre-tip ritual, as the large crowd that gathered soon observed the toga-clad Apostles on their knees at mid-court devoutly praying the Our Father.
They then rose from their circle revealing the names John, Peter, Thomas, Matthew and Judas painted on their forearms.
It was clear from the first possession that the actual game would take a back seat to the Apostles' display. The Best Hands team used their size and speed to jump out to a quick 7-0 lead and never looked back. Thunderous dunks from John Carlson, a tight end on Notre Dame's football team, sealed the win in the second half.
Despite lacking somewhat in basketball ability, the Apostles were determined to put on a show for the fans. The second half began with a crowd member running on the court exclaiming, "Judas, I have your 30 silver pieces."
"Judas" (Jeremy Truelove) promptly stuffed them in his pocket, and "betrayed" his team by shooting at the wrong basket. His betrayal continued throughout the half as he played as if he were on the opposing team. Best Hands players even got to the point where they were comfortable passing the ball to Judas for a 6-on-4 advantage.
When asked where they got the inspiration for their team name and costumes, "John" (Josh Meyer) admitted they received help.
"Jeremy and a friend of ours, the apostle James Schindler thought this up," he said. The Apostles enjoyed the crowd support, but admitted their first-round game may have been more fun.
"You should have been here for our first game. We did this whole act and we won playing four on six in the second half," Meyer said.
Platinum FUBU 2.0 21,
Team 461 6
The 12th-seeded FUBU team asserted itself as one of the top teams in the tournament with a dominant performance. Overall quickness and smothering defense that extended to half court allowed FUBU to get numerous steals that led to fast break opportunities. FUBU jumped out to an 8-3 lead and closed the game on a 13-3 run.
Paul Pogge led the effort in the second half scoring four points and starting a number of successful fast breaks. Bert Lenny's slashing ability allowed him to earn his team easy points in the paint, and John Rompf's size and rebounding ability gave FUBU a big advantage inside.
Team members agreed that this wasn't their best performance, but that didn't concern Pogge. He was more concerned about his teammate's wardrobe.
"Honestly the most disappointing thing about the game for me was John Rompf's lack of FUBU gear," he said.
Rompf will look to find some FUBU clothing before his team's next game on Sunday.
STCC 21, MBA Ballers 19
In one of the closest games of the night, the STCC squad outlasted their MBA opponents. The game was an epic, lasting almost 90 minutes.
It was clear from the outset that this game would be a war of attrition as both teams struggled to score. STCC, clad in black uniforms with a crab and the phrase "clinging to loose balls" on the back, came out in a 2-3 zone. This defense proved to be successful as the MBA Ballers could not consistently hit the outside shot.
STCC was methodical on offense, looking to work the ball inside for a high-percentage shot. They succeeded at the end of the first half scoring 8 of the last 11 baskets of the half to jump to an 11-6 lead. Jason Ryan established himself as an inside presence, scoring three baskets in a row to end the first half. His persistence was evident on the glass as he exclaimed "Get to your home!" as he made a shot on his third attempt of the possession.
The Ballers would not go away cutting the gap to 12-11 in early in the half, stealing an inbound pass and scoring an easy layup. The see-saw battle would soon turn in favor of STCC, however, as they scored the next six to go up 18-11, led by Joe O'Brien's three driving layups.
The game appeared decided with the score 19-13, but stingy defense and hot shooting allowed the Ballers to score six in a row to tie the score at 19. After enduring an almost 15-minute drought, Peter Wu and O'Brien scored on consecutive possessions to cap the victory for STCC.
STCC was pleased with its win, but puzzled at its second half cold streak.
"In the first half, everything went right, but in the second we couldn't get anything to go our way," O'Brien said.
When asked about their use of the zone defense, captain Jason Ryan was frank is his explanation.
"We can't run because we can't dribble. We have to slow it down, but we don't want it to take two hours," he said.
The Ligers 21, Johnny Appleseed and His Band of Thieves 11
In a game that featured a sloppy start, the Ligers cleaned up their play and hit their stride in the second half to pull away.
The Ligers displayed teamwork throughout the contest. Their unity was seen best in an 8-0 run which inflated their lead to 16-4. During this stretch they were able to take advantage of several Johnny Appleseed turnovers and covert them into easy baskets. James Rogers showed great court sense in leading the fast breaks throwing numerous no-look passes to open teammates for easy lay-ups. Rogers was able to find teammate Brendan Venter for four consecutive lay-ups during the eight-basket run. Jesse Rodenbiker's hot shooting added to the Ligers' onslaught as the lefty was able to connect on six shots.
While the team appeared as though it had been playing together for some time, the Ligers admitted this game marked only its second outing as a team.
"We're just a bunch of freshmen and transfers thrown together," Rogers said.
Looking ahead to the next round, the Ligers anticipate a match up with CoCoa Butter, the 11th-ranked team featuring former wide receiver and current law student Bobby Brown. Braden Turner offered his thoughts on the game.
"I'm not sure we'll be able to beat that team with Bobby Brown," Turner said. "But it's cool because I have his autograph, and that's no lie."
