As the winter sports season begins, so does the competition through boys’ intramural basketball, also known as IBA. Players start building up their teams, getting jerseys and creating team names for the nine-week competition.
The league encourages opportunities for all ages to learn more about the game and develop skills through practices and games in a structured style.
“I think IBA is a great league because it helps those who wanna play for fun get on the grind in basketball. There’s no hard feelings ever, and it is just a fun extracurricular if you want to have some fun,” Micheal Rogers, sophomore, said.
The IBA basketball team called “Babarsketball,” is coached by Rogers and is currently (0-2).
“We will most definitely bounce back. We just need to pass the ball and we’ll be one of the best IBA teams,” Rogers said.
For many on the team, IBA is more than a competition; it’s a chance for the boys to meet new people, work out and play basketball with little commitment or stress.
Greg Raykh, sophomore, is a captain on the team and enjoys playing intramural basketball because it allows him to have fun with his friends while being competitive.
“Being on the Babarsketball team has made my winter season a lot more enjoyable, partly because of the fun practices, but also because I get to compete with my friends,” Raykh said.
Like Raykh, players are most excited to compete against their friends and end up growing a stronger bond with each other. Opposing teams may be friends but aren’t afraid to show off the skills they have been working on behind the scenes.
“Everybody is a good sport, and it’s just a very exciting environment,” second captain Nick Harris, sophomore, said.
Once the competition is over teams are awarded a trophy as well as bragging rights. Most teams make Instagram accounts to introduce themselves as the team, but most importantly show off their achievements.