The Rocket

Issue date: 2/22/08 Section: Sports

[Click to enlarge]

Matt Lobaugh won the tip-off, sprinted down court, received a crisp pass and made an easy lay-up no more than five seconds into his team's intramural basketball contest Tuesday night at the Aebersold Recreation Center.

Lobaugh, a senior sport management major, is the captain of one of SRU's 16 competitive men's basketball intramural league teams.

His team, And 2 Basketball, is undefeated this spring in its division. Their goal: to win the league championship and, more importantly, to have fun playing the game of basketball the way it should be played.

"Our team plays well together because we all just like to play," Lobaugh said. "It doesn't matter to us who scores the most points or who plays the most minutes."

And 2 is made up of several of Lobaugh's former teammates on the varsity basketball team at Butler County Community College, which is perhaps why this team has exceptional team chemistry.

Lobaugh's teammates and close friends, Chris Harmon and Joel Rehn, are also key parts of the team. Add a few more talented and committed individuals, and this is a team to be reckoned with.

The SRU Intramurals Department, headed by Robert "Posey" Rhoads, organizes leagues in many different sports during every season throughout the academic year.

The most popular and competitive is, arguably, basketball. This winter, the department has organized three leagues with a total of 16 teams vying for the championship. Each team paid an entry fee of $35, as well as the voluntary costs of team jerseys.

The winning athletes will be rewarded with a T-shirt and coffee mug, not to mention pride and more than a few bragging rights.

A great deal of organization goes into the success of the leagues. Each game is officiated by two referees and a scorekeeper. Also, ARC and Intramural Department employees can be seen throughout the building fulfilling their duties in order to run an impressively professional and efficient night of hoops action. According to referee Joseph Byrd, these games aren't just for fun. These guys mean business.

"It is extremely competitive," Byrd said. "Guys really get into it and, yes, they might go at it a bit but at the end they shake hands. Everyone usually shows good sportsmanship."

Continued...

Page 1 of 2 next >

Article Tools