10 battling for brags of basketball champs

    Ten teams embarked toward the championship game of the TCC SE Intramural 3-on-3 basketball tournament last week.

    Although only two teams will play in the final game, each player has a desire to have his name and picture on the winner’s plaque outside the gym for permanent bragging rights.

    Games begin at 2 p.m. Wednesdays for the next four weeks.

    Approximately 70 people attend the games.

    Some people arrive almost a half an hour early, providing for a loud and exciting day, Debbie Arenz, the intramural activities coordinator, said.

    Arenz started working at TCC this year and runs most of the health and fitness programs on campus.

    “Every team plays like it’s the Super Bowl,” she said. “They’re a great bunch of kids.”

    Even though each TCC campus has a basketball league of some kind, the rules vary significantly.

    On SE Campus, games are played 3-on-3 and use only half of the court. Two games are played simultaneously and last 30 minutes or until one team reaches 40 points.

    The tournament is double elimination, so when a team loses twice, it is sent to the sidelines to watch. Each team gets to play at least three games.

    The teams are later divided into winners’ and losers’ brackets to determine a champion.

    The games so far have seen wins by the Big Ballas, Harlem Boys, Ballas 101, Team X and the Cash Money Gunners.

    The championship game will be Wednesday, March 7, at 2 p.m.