The Black Student Union hosted a 3 v.s. 3 basketball tournament this past Saturday, Nov. 5, with a grand prize of $300 evenly split between VISA gift cards amongst the winning team. To secure a chance to win the $300 dollars, the cost to form a team was $30.
President of the BSU, Sebastian Michel ‘23 commented on why the union hosts an annual basketball tournament.
“BSU decided to host this yearly tournament because it is a staple tradition in BSU that allows Black Student Union members and allies to be under one roof engaging in friendly competition,” he says.
Vice President of the BSU, Mekaylia Ingram ‘25 commented on the support that the union receives when planning the event and how the tournament is one of the most looked forward to events.
“The support from our general body members, club advisors and faculty was awesome and I’m glad that this is one of the BSU events that people look forward to each year,” she said.
Michel added that “It is not very often where we are able to see a lot of members at the same time due to various academic schedules so it is always a delight to disconnect from academics with an opportunity to win a prize.”
The event was successful in creating friendly competition and connections between members of the BSU and allies, as participation in the event was not limited to Fairfield students.
Michel details that outside guests were invited to participate in the tournament as it allows for wider connections and is beneficial for the future of the BSU.
“Members of BSU were able to invite outside guests to their teams because these individuals support the Black Student Union by attending big club events which help us make new connections and helps with future fundraising opportunities,” Michel stated.
Six teams played in the tournament, which meant that teams would be eliminated after two losses. In total, nine games were played with teams needing 15 points in order to win the game.
Team Rae narrowly won the tournament with a score of 15-13, sealing their win against team Lebron K with a deep three-pointer, described by Michel as a shot “similar to Stephen Curry and his limitless range.”
Ingram deems the event a success and notes how it was a good way for BSU to connect with members of their club, as well as the surrounding community.
“The 3v3 Tournament was a success! It was a really great way to connect with our club members and the community,” she commented. “Our players had a great time and it was good to see some friendly competition taking place.”
Supreme Cook ‘24, a forward on the men’s basketball team, refereed the game.
“It was a great game and a great experience to come out and watch all the basketball players,” he stated. “Shoutout to Fairfield BSU for a fun day out here!”
Michel agrees that the event was successful, but adds that improvement can be made in terms of advertising for the event.
“The event was successful because every team had multiple opportunities to advance despite losing one time and we were able to have nine competitive games,” he commented. “In my opinion, it definitely can be improved if we do a more effective job advertising and hitting the correct channels.”
Michel ends by thanking Ethan Godfrey, the program coordinator of competitive sports in the Department of Recreation, for giving BSU the space to host their tournament.
“I also want to thank Ethan Godfrey for opening the RecPlex’s doors for the Black Student Union to host the tournament,” he stated.
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