The Senate Activities Board, a student-run organization at Montgomery College, hosted yet another exciting student event on Monday, March 4th. The Basketball Tournament, which boasted Wizards’ tickets for the tournament winners, was a tremendous success.

Students organized their own teams of three: Team Elite, Suburban Kids, XCXD, J2A, Golden State, Team Savage, and the 93 Bulls.

The first round of games began with Team Elite vs. Suburban Kids and XCXD vs. J2A.

Team Elite’s number four player, Alex Nunnally, set the bar high from the start shining as the team’s official “dunker.” Number eight, Desmond Akoto, contributed his defense skills, and Team Elite took the win. Fortunately for Suburban Kids, they would get one more chance in Round 2.

XCXD vs. J2A wasn’t nearly as close of a game. In spite of their visibly great teamwork, that game was the end of the tournament for J2A. XCXD won 11-2.

Round 2 began with Golden State vs. Suburban Kids and the 93 Bulls vs. Team Savage.

Golden State vs. Suburban Kids was a tight game from the start. The crowd echoed their support as Golden State shooter, Josue Castillo, continued to score. However, the crowd also spoke up when Golden State’s Tolulola Afolab-Ojo scored after what appeared to be “mad traveling,” according to one student in the crowd. Although a close game, Golden State came out with the win, 12-10, eliminating the Suburban Kids from the tournament.

The match between the 93 Bulls and Team Savage was certainly a heated one. Sneakers were squeaking and sweat was dripping. 93 Bulls player, Boris Adeck, brought the game to a close scoring the winning 2-point shot.

After asking Adeck how it felt to have won and to be moving up in the tournament, he replied, “It feels good, now just on to the next thing.”

The third round featured previous winners Team Elite vs. the 93 Bulls and XCXD vs. Golden State. The two winners of round three would move on to the finals.

Just minutes into the game and Team Elite was already leading 8-0. It seemed clear from the start that the defense and shooting skills of Team Elite could not be trumped; however, both teams played an intense game. Team Elite’s number four, Nunnally, took a few elbows to the head and at one point was knocked to the ground, making the game all the more intense. A hard-fought game, but Team Elite snatched the win, ending the 93 Bulls’ time in the tournament.

Abel Girma, one of the 93 Bulls’ players reflected after their final loss, “we played together and that’s what was important.” Girma smiled, appearing proud of his team, as he said how good they played.

The playoff between XCXD and Golden State resulted in a sweeping victory for XCXD, the final score 16-0. Golden State player, Niya Burrows played a hard two games. By the time it was all over, she could hardly feel the right side of her body, declaring she was ready for an ice bath. Burrows spoke on the event, saying she “had a great time and at the end of the day… that’s what counts.”

The three rounds concluded, leaving only two teams for the finals: Team Elite and XCXD.

The final round began, and it was apparent it was going to be a heated one.

Both teams clearly felt the pressure. Players were firing a lot of shots and missing a lot of shots. As the game progressed, Nunnally began another dunking streak, placing Team Elite in the lead.

XCXD’s Talib Robinson managed to evade a strong defense and score from the 3-point line, narrowing Team Elite’s lead. A few more fouls and a few more shots, the score was neck and neck.

The game continued, and both teams could clearly taste the win. The score was 14-14, so close a single shot could end it; people were on the edge of their seats. Finally, in a breath-holding moment, Team Elite player, Theilor Remy shoots the winning goal.

The tournament concluded, leaving Team Elite the victors and winners of the coveted Wizards’ tickets.

Robinson, of XCXD, spoke after the game on how glad he was to have made the finals, and that although “it would’ve been nice to get those Wizards’ tickets, it was still fun!”

When asked in a post-game interview how they chose their team name, “Team Elite,” Remy, Nunnally, and Akoto jokingly responded, “because we’re elite.” They laughed and went on to say that it’s the name they’ve used in the past, the many times they’ve all played together.

The afternoon Basketball Tournament was an absolute blast, not only for the players, but for the crowd alike. Montgomery students will certainly eagerly await the next big event.