The NC State club basketball team looks to have a successful year as both the Red and White teams head undefeated into the University of South Carolina Tournament.
The club team has started its season strong, winning its first game of the season against Duke 59-37. It has also defeated Elon and UNC-Pembroke. The club basketball team, which is part of the National Club Basketball Association, has won the American Collegiate Intramural Sports (ACIS) Men’s Club National Basketball Championship and made it to the National Final Four in the past.
Not only is club basketball proving itself on the court, but the players are also making an impact on the community. The first annual Dunking for Deah tournament was held Feb. 27 in honor of former NC State students Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha and Razan Abu-Salha, who were killed in the tragic Chapel Hill shooting Feb. 10.
Dunking for Deah consists of a 3-on-3 tournament made up of both men’s and women’s teams to raise money for Barakat’s Syrian Dental Relief Cause. The first tournament raised $3,000, a number the team will strive to increase as the years go on. The fundraiser also won the Club Sports Event for the 2014–2015 year.
The team, formed in 2009, is split up into the Red team and the White team. Each team has separate schedules, but that is the only thing dividing them. The teams practice together every Wednesday for two hours. They start off doing 30 minutes of drills before playing an hour and a half of pick-up basketball.
Club president and senior Ben Simons plays a part in choosing who goes on which team at tryouts, but he doesn’t make the decision alone.
“The returning players from last year, along with the vice president and me, decide who goes on each team at tryouts,” Simons said. “The talent is pretty much equal though, so there is no real difference between each team.”
Tryouts last for two nights. The first night is open to all students and consists of two hours of pick-up games to evaluate the potential players’ skills. The first cuts bring back only 10 to 15 players the next day for further evaluation, and the final cuts officially take in about seven players to join the team.
“We always have a good turnout at tryouts,” Simons said. “This year we had about 60 guys come out, and in the past, we’ve had up to 100 guys.”
The new additions to the team add to the camaraderie the club thrives on.
“We love getting new faces on the team and getting to know them,” Simons said. “They’re all pretty awesome, and, in general, I feel we have a really good group of guys.”
Both the Red team and the White team will play in the University of South Carolina Tournament Oct. 24 and 25. The next home game is the White team against Ridgeview Prep Oct. 29 at 8 p.m.
