Whether it was draining outside shots or finishing layups, it did not seem to make a difference to the Chu Ballzers in their opening round game Wednesday. In a game that was as close as the final score indicates, The Chu Ballzers made quick work of the Flying Camels, defeating them by a score of 21-3.
"We came out and gave it our all. It was lots of practice, late nights and early mornings," said Ballzers Kevin Garcia with a laugh.
All kidding aside, Chu Ballzers looked like a team that could be a force to be reckoned with. A team consisting of upperclassmen from Keough Hall, they jumped out to an 11-1 halftime lead by mostly pounding the ball inside. The team used its superior height to its advantage.
The Flying Camels, however, refused to phone the game in, perhaps to appease their cheering section that watched from the corner of the court.
"Put on your rally caps!" one fan yelled, after the score of the game reached 20-3.
The Camels were fierce on the boards and went after loose balls with vigor. There was at least one blood sighting, resulting from a scrape on the knee after a loose ball, and there were many more tipped balls. However, the Chu Ballzers were not to be stopped on this day.
Throughout the second half, they opened up the offense, running out on the fast break and, most notably, draining a number of jump shots from outside.
"We'd like to make it to at least the round of 32," said Garcia. "I think we could really surprise some people."
As for the Camels, however, Wednesday's game marked the end of the road.
So Money 21, Spitzer's Callgirls 7
The bright yellow jerseys worn by So Money might initially draw a viewer to watch their game. Their play, however, will certainly keep you watching.
Showcasing athleticism and team organization not normally seen in Bookstore Basketball, So Money disposed of Spitzer's Callgirls.
"We've been playing together for the last three years," So Money captain Brad LeNoir said.
The game, particularly the opening 10 points, was very competitive, much more than the final score would indicate. The teams traded baskets at the beginning, which resulted in a 4-4 tie. From there, however, So Money would take control. Implementing a half court trap, it forced the Callgirls into a number of turnovers and contested shots, and So Money drained its own shots on offense. They scored the final seven points of the first half and ran away to a 11-4 lead.
"We weren't worried," LeNoir said. "But give them credit, they came out and played really well."
In the second half, So Money cruised as it did in the first half, knocking down shots and playing tenacious defense en route to the victory.
"We hope to win it all, but you never know," LeNoir said. "You could easily get matched up against an unseeded team who is really good. Last year, we made it to the round of 32, but this year we are hoping to go farther."
The Callgirls, however, refused to consider themselves the losers, even after the game.
"We may have lost, sure," Callgirl Steve Bold said. "But we were definitely well groomed, though."
And as if that didn't make them winners already, Bold went further.
"Overall, I think we did better than the football team this year," Bold said. "I should call Coach Weis and give him some pointers."
Manchild Nation 21, Dream Team Ballers 9
An outmatched Dream Team squad of five Saint Mary's girls was unable to put up much of a fight against the Manchild Nation, who dominated most of the game with its physical prowess.
Dream Team started off strong scoring the first basket of the game, but from then on was stifled by Manchild's tough defensive scheme.
Their zone defense caused several fast break lay-ups put the men from Siegfried up 11-3 at halftime.
The Dream Team once again tried to get out to fast start at the beginning of the half by scoring the first point.
However, once again, Manchild Nation answered with several blocks, steals, and lay-ups to pull away.
The Manchild Nation did admit they had a bit of a tough time finishing off the Dream Team.
Bagkehbauw 21, No Bookstore For Old Men 19
In a battle that pitted the young against the old, the freshmen from Bagkehbauw outlasted the senior-laden "No Bookstore For Old Men" 21-19.
"They had a definite age advantage," No Bookstore for Old Men member P.J. LeBlanc said. "They just out ran us."
The weather conditions proved to be somewhat of an advantage for the seniors.
"It was nice outside, but the wind was definitely a factor," Mat Spencer of Bagkehbauw said.
The game was closely contested. The teams traded baskets for most of the game and neither held a lead greater than three.
Thanks to a string of jump shots, Bagkehbauw took an 11-8 lead into halftime.
The experienced seniors refused to give in and fought their way back to tie the game at 16.
As fatigue began to set in, the younger freshmen displayed their superior fitness and pulled away to win by two.
"We need to work on the age thing in the offseason," LeBlanc said shortly before being reminded of his pending graduation. "They started making jump shots and we didn't."
Spencer is looking forward to the next round
"It was a good win for our team," Spencer said. "We still need to work on our zone offense before next round's game."
