The Bestie Ballers, a coed intramural basketball team that had never met before the start of the fall intramural sports season, put up a good fight but lost to Zynny the Pooh 53-37 in the second game of the season on Sept. 25 at at the Rec Center. 

After a season-opening loss, the Bestie Ballers managed to get a 3-point play by accounting senior Landery Sanders but had some catching up to do, ending the first quarter down 14-5. In the next two quarters, the three-woman, two-man team kept the score close, including not only a fast break after a rebound by kinesiology junior Odi Fernandez, but also defense from chemistry sophomore Grace Jackson, who helped hold the score to 35-26 at the end of the third quarter. 

The team had a chance to take the lead at the start of the fourth quarter, but Zynny the Pooh made two 3-pointers from university studies junior Laura McClintock and a fast break layup by economics junior Jacob Rosenfeld within the first minute of the fourth quarter, bringing the score to 42-26. 

Zynny the Pooh ended with a win when kinesiology senior Connor Hernandez blocked a buzzer-beater. The Bestie Ballers are 0-2 heading into their next game on Monday, Oct. 23, at 9:45 p.m. at the Rec Center.

“Figuring out how to keep tight defenders from making me lose my focus took years of training and discipline,” co-captain Jackson said. “It doesn’t really get to me anymore, and I’ve honestly had more annoying girls defend me than her.”

Captain and kinesiology senior Lauren Innis said she fractured her wrist after being fouled on a short jumper during the team’s first scrimmage on Sept. 8.

“It’s cool being on the outside and seeing a different side of the game,” Innis, now the team’s coach, said.
Emma Kiel is a recreation, park and tourism sciences senior and contributed this from the course JOUR 359, Reporting Sports, to The Battalion.