NE basketball begins with Bombers topping Kinsfolk
by Matthew Navy, reporter

    Intramural basketball started its new season Monday, Feb. 2, on NE Campus when two of the five teams played the first tournament game.

    The Bombers outblasted the Kinsfolk 59-33 in this first intramural face-off.

    The Polo Bombers, coached by Alton Evans, consists of mainly faculty and some students while the Kinsfolk, coached by Jesse Morgan, is composed of campus students.

    Before the game, Lynn Wess, a sophomore of the Polo Bombers, said, “I feel that we have the experience over the younger team because we’ve got the older players, the big dogs!”

    Once he’s completed his degree at TCC, Wess plans on transferring to UT, where he will major in psychology and play on the basketball team.

    The first quarter went by quickly, with the Polo Bombers in a steady lead throughout the entire half and the Kinsfolk showing a strong defense.

    Few fouls were called, keeping the playing clock in a steady decline, and the atmosphere of the game was rather friendly.

    Any fouls called against a player for roughage were quickly resolved by a handshake and a carry through of the next play.

    At half time, Alton Evans, player/coach of the Polo Bombers, said he was happy to see the success of this year’s current enrollment.

    “It’s good to see so many numbers on our teams,” he said, as he ran back out on the court for the second half of the game.

    The last quarter went by as smoothly as the first.

    Wess of the Polo Bombers was all over the court, successfully stealing the ball many times and going in for the kill with dozens of extended airtime dunks.

    The Kinsfolk returned the favors as well with experienced player Vincent Jordan, a freshman with 12 years of experience behind him in basketball, continuously scoring point after point.

    Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, for when the final buzzer sounded, the Polo Bombers had defeated the Kinsfolk.

    After the players walked off the court, Jordan commented on the grueling game.

    “My team did fair, but we’re out of shape. We’ll do better,” he said.

    Many in the stands were players from other teams, who were watching the competition and talking about intramurals.

    Jayson Smith, a member of the Scrubs, said, “It’s a cool idea to verse your peers and coaches in competition.”

    Smith described the process for becoming a member of an intramural basketball team as rather simple.

    Students must show proof that they are currently enrolled at TCC, show a picture student ID and give their social security number to the secretary of the physical education department.

    After that procedure, only the person’s name is needed for the team they wish to join.

    Sign-up for basketball has already closed for this semester, but students should check for upcoming spring sports or wait for fall when football registration will begin.

    Games are held at least once a week, and there are nearly a dozen games until the championship match. Other sports are available as well.

    Marty Martin, NE intramural director, said that depending on the other campuses, the NE Campus winning team of the tournament might play the champion team of the South Campus.

    Martin expressed much enjoyment with the success and entertainment intramural teams have brought to NE Campus over the past few years.

    Each match is held in the lower gym in the HPE Building on NE.
    Copies of the basketball schedules and teams to play are available in the lobby, from Pat Wiley in HPE 213 or at 817-515-6634.