Story by Hannah Tabor

Photos by Koji Matsumoto
It was a cold day, but that didn’t stop things from heating up on the UO Rec Center basketball courts this past Saturday. Ten teams gathered together to play in the first annual Ethos Basketball Tournament. The tournament, which benefited FOOD for Lane County, charged each player a $7 entrance fee, or a reduced rate of $5 if he/she brought three canned goods. The tournament looked to promote the health and fitness of the UO community, while supporting a local Eugene charity and reaching out to a group of students who are not generally targeted by Ethos events.

During the tournament, competition was fierce but all in the name of a good game. “It’s fun!” said Mike Kuchera of the team A Peck of Flying Kucheras. “We haven’t played in a while so it’s good to get out here and know we’re way out of shape.”

The tournament was double elimination, meaning each team was guaranteed at least two games. The bracket was originally twelve teams but when two didn’t show, the bracket was adjusted for the remaining ten. Each game was played half court, with the winner being the first to score eleven points. The players battled slick courts and cold air, but they still put on a great show.
After several hours of play the bracket had dwindled down to the final two, Jasmen and The Wet Squad. In a fervent battle on the court, The Wet Squad came out on top. In addition to bragging rights, The Wet Squad scored a prize package that included Ethos shirts, gift certificates to Off the Waffle and Track Town Pizza, as well as ten dollars cash.
“It was a lot of fun, the competition was good, and it was good to bring everyone out here to participate with Ethos,” said Wet Squad team member Tim Eldrige.
Even though the Wet Squad came away with the prizes, all the teams played extremely well and were provided with snacks and the opportunity to play basketball with others from the UO community. All the teams helped make the first Ethos basketball tournament one to be remembered and a success for all involved.

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