The Florida A&M University intramurals program begins its month-long tournament to see who has the best intramural basketball team this Monday, February 21. The tournament will include six, regular-season games for each team, a playoff system, and the inevitable championship game.
Natasha Kazan, the assistant intramurals coordinator was excited about the opportunities that the five-on-five basketball league presented for the students at FAMU.
“This really will be a big, big tournament and I’m just happy that another cliché sport kicks off at our HBCU,” Kazan said.
The tournament league consists of 32 teams in a 4-division field. The Ammons division was named after the 10th and current president of Florida A&M University, James Ammons. The Robert Carrol Jr. and Kirby division represent 16 of the 32 teams. And the Tookes Division represents the Center in which the league games will be played, the Hansel E. Tookes Recreation center.
Among the participants several Greek organizations will compete in the tournament including Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, and Alpha Phi Alpha. With steep competition in the tournament, competition goes beyond the mentioned organizations.
Adam Perry 22, a senior from Hollywood, believes that although other teams may have experience that talent will eventually prove to be the deciding factor.
“I got a new team but can’t nobody beat me playing basketball and my team gone take the whole tournament, Perry said.
With a new facility opening to have games played the tournament has sparked interest throughout the University. Marvin Green who currently is the Coach of flag football’s National champions simply marvelous was pleased with the progress leading to the first tip off.
“It’s exciting and it should be fun for everybody,” Green said.
The tournament games will be played on the Gaither gymnasium basketball court and the new courts in the Hansel E Tookes center.
“It’s exciting because somebody gets a chance to christen our new spot,” Green added.
Action begins Monday with the 32 already set to play after the students collectively paid 65 dollars per team.
“This should be the best tournament we had all year because it’s definitely the largest,” Kazan said.