Inside April 19th, 2005's Issue

Basketball ends, Angry Sheephearders champions

By Becky Crooks
[email protected]
Staff Writer

The games have been played and the champions have been found for Georgia Highlands College�s 5-on-5 Intramural Basketball.

The Double Eliminations Tournament began to wind down on March 16.

During the first game, the Slackers took on the Real Splitters. It was a close game from the beginning, with the score going back and forth between teams. Even with Blake Pattillo playing with a broken arm, no one showed any signs of weakening as the game continued, but in the end, the Real Splitters came away victorious with the score of 39-38.

The second game between the Angry Sheephearders and Trailer Trash was the decision-maker of the day. Whoever lost this game would be eliminated. With the long-awaited return of Tim Smith (who broke his collar bone earlier in the season), the Angry Sheephearders seemed to have its heart back, not to mention the right amount of players.

The Angry Sheephearders skill, with their off-the-wall shots and great passing, was not unlike a more famous team, the Harlem Globetrotters. However, Trailer Trash showed for the first time that they could contend. The game was never out of reach, but there didn�t seem to be enough time for Trailer Trash to come back. The Angry Sheephearders defeated them 55-50, thus ending Trailer Trash�s run to be the champions.

�They played us harder than anyone this year,� Smith said. He added, �I�m just glad to be back.�

The next games were played on March 30. The first game between the Real Splitters and the Angry Sheephearders was evenly matched, and both teams obviously wanted to come out on top. Everyone was on the edge of their seats, especially the Slackers because they were to play the winners. At half time, the score was tied 21-21, and no one wanted to wait for the entire five minutes to end to see the second half of the game. The second half was owned by the Angry Sheephearders, who scored six consecutive times to make the score a little less balanced. As the buzzer rang, it ended the game, as well as what Eric Hopper referred to as the �Buford Era.� The Angry Sheephearders defeated Brandon Buford and the Real Splitters 44-35.

There was no rest for the Angry Sheephearders that day; they began playing the Slackers shortly after their first game ended. This was a hard-played game for both teams. The ball crossed the court so often neck aches were bound to happen. The score was tied most of the game. Neither team ever ran away with the score. With a beautiful lay-up from Smith, the Angry Sheephearders came away with a 41-39 victory, and a chance to play another game.

�We survived through the day,� Stephen Mink of the Angry Sheephearders, said. He added, jokingly, �And next week we�ll win by 200.�

The gym was full of excitement on April 5, for the last championship game of the season. The Angry Sheephearders took on the Slackers one more time to see for sure who the best was. Neither team seemed to be playing to their fullest potential, although they both showed the same amount of heart. Pattillo, who tried not to use his hard cast to his advantage, made several amazing blocks that stopped the Angry Sheephearders from running away with the game. Hopper also couldn�t play his fullest for the Slackers because of a knee injury. With the final buzzer of the last game of Georgia Highlands College�s 5-on-5 Intramural Basketball season, there came a sigh of relief. The gym was filled with mixed emotions; for the Slackers, disappointment and defeat, but for the Angry Sheephearders, it was grins and giggles all around. The Angry Sheephearders are the Georgia Highlands College 5-on-5 Intramural Basketball Champions after defeating the Slackers 38-33.

�It was a great game. Both teams played very hard, but everyone was a little tired,� Smith said.

The Intramurals Banquet will be held April 27 at 1:30 p.m.

Click here to view pre-tournament play highlights.

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