The Chatham Cougars Men’s Basketball team had their first scrimmage against Carlow University on Friday, October 31, and the players are excited for the season. The scrimmage’s purpose was to figure out the team’s strengths and weaknesses so they can become a better team. They will play their first game on November 17 in Chatham’s gymnasium against Penn State Beaver.
When you walked into the AFC on the night of Wednesday, October 14, you knew something was going on.
As the women’s Ice Hockey team, and the men’s and women’s Swimming and Diving, Basketball, and Indoor Track teams filed into the gym, the crowd in the stand began to grow as well. People lined up to get some Buffalo Chicken Dip and chips, and then they began to take their seats. After some mingling, the games began.
Competitions with the people in stands began, consisting of 3-on-3 and coaches vs. student 5-on-5. The crowd really got into it and really showed their school spirit.
As the hour neared midnight, the crowd began to die down. They anxiously waited to hear the announcement of the new 2015-2016 winter sports teams.
The announcer came on to introduce the women and men’s Swimming and Diving and Track teams. They then moved onto the women’s and men’s Basketball teams. The men’s team gathered around the center of the court and really got the crowd going with their enthusiastic chants.
After the conclusion of the announcements, the basketball teams had their own contests against each other. The coed shootout was greeted with lots of support from the fans.
One fan, sophomore Ava Iuliucci, had a great review of the event.
“I thought it was fun; it made it feel like it was an actual college, compared to last year where we couldn’t do that for the women’s teams,” she said.
There was then a skills contest among the women’s team and then the men’s. The competitors had to make a layup, dribble down the court, pass into a laundry basket, make a jump shot, then dribble down the court and pass to their partner.
After the event concluded, the teams all helped clean up and the fans began to leave. Many fans, both faculty and students, turned out for the event, making it a contender for a new Chatham tradition.