By Troy Bassett/reporter

Two close games marked a day of intramural basketball on South Campus Feb. 25.

Of the three games played, two were decided by just two points. The third game was not quite as close, but still, neither team quit playing hard.

The game between the Starter Loggs and the Stallions was close the entire time. At halftime, the Starter Loggs held a 33–30 lead. Both teams fought hard in the second half, and at the end of regulation, the score was tied 58–58.

Although Starter Loggs captain Patrick Howard led his team in scoring with 14 points, Derrick Muhammad hit a key three-pointer with time winding down in overtime to secure a 64–62 victory over the Stallions.

Muhammad said he hadn’t had a good game by his standards all day, so that made the shot even more rewarding.

“I felt like I did something to help my team win,” he said.

Milan Rasevic of the Stallions led all scorers in the game with 22.

Rasevic said mistakes cost them at the end of the game and his team would use this as a learning experience.

The second game matched up Team 4 and Team 2. Despite going into halftime with a three-point deficit, Team 4 fought back in the second half and won the game 43–41.

Team 4 captain Kevin Luong said the team won because it came together and played like a team down the stretch. Luong didn’t enjoy the stress of such a close game, though.

“Hopefully, we’ll get it together and have a blowout next time,” he said.

Team 2 captain Jared Robinson blamed the loss on mental errors. Substitution mistakes led to his team getting two technical foul calls.

Team 4 was allowed to shoot four free throws because of the technical fouls and scored three points.

Robinson pointed out that the margin of victory was only two points, and without the free throws, the game might have turned out differently.

Game three featured Team 1 vs. Team 3 and was not nearly as close as the first two. Team 1 trailed 32-7 at halftime and ultimately lost the game 75-24.

For Team 1, it was its first time playing together, and members said changes would be made. But they wouldn’t give up.