By Matt Fulkerson/sports editor
Perhaps it was the holiday weekend that kept the other campuses away, or maybe they were just afraid of taking on SE Campus’ We Trash in the district 5-on-5 basketball tournament April 19.
We Trash faced off against the Triple D Allstarz and the Free Agents in a rematch of the SE Campus 5-on-5 tournament.
Triple D narrowly defeated the Free Agents, 46-45. We Trash annihilated Triple D, 70-35, and easily held back the Free Agents, 55-39.
“I don’t mean to be cocky, but I was sure we were going to win,” We Trash player Laurence Hardin said.
Both Triple D and the Free Agents seemed unprepared to take on the SE Campus champions.
“We just didn’t have the personnel today,” Triple D team member George Ankle Jr. said. “With the resources we had, we did our best.”
With only five team members available, substitutions weren’t an option for Triple D in their back-to-back games.
Coming straight from a hard-fought win against the Free Agents, the team was exhausted, Ankle said.
Tired and working with a skeleton crew, Triple D was no match for We Trash, losing by 35 points.
Although South Campus intended to participate in the district tournament, it didn’t have enough players to form a full team.
“[The South team] showed up, but they only had four players,” health and physical education instructor Shahzad Nazir said. “They tried calling some people but couldn’t find anyone and left.”
Nazir said he attempted to contact NE and NW campuses, but neither sent players to compete in the tournament.
While Hardin may not like to get cocky, he definitely doesn’t lack bravado as he challenged any players from other campuses.
“I’m calling out any campus that wants to take us on,” he said. “We’ll take you on anywhere and anytime. We will defend our title.”
We Trash may have been destined for the title, but the rematch between Triple D and the Free Agents didn’t disappoint.
The two teams fought nonstop, trading points through the entire game.
“At the end there, it looked like Free Agents were going to win,” Nazir said. “They were down by two points and were lined up for a 3-point shot.
Michael Hoppe was wide open as he set up for what would have been the Free Agents’ winning shot.
“We had the opportunity, but I missed it at the end,” Hoppe said.
Hoppe’s shot was short and missed just as the buzzer rang, sending Triple D into the finals against We Trash.
Although 5-on-5 basketball is over, Hardin warns any teams on other campuses to start practicing now if they want a shot at the title next year.
“That trophy is ours, and we’re going to be here next year to defend it,” he said.
