By Deshaun Garduno
LAS CRUCES, N.M. — Intramural sports are a big thing on campus. Hundreds of students participate in a multitude of different sports. Everything from basketball and baseball to dodgeball and pickleball, but this week marks the last few rounds of intramural basketball at New Mexico State University, where teams will battle for the championship.
Intramural basketball is organized through the NMSU Activities Center, where student workers volunteer as refs and scorekeepers. The league features four divisions, each with a varying number of teams: Men’s, Women’s, Co-rec and Fraternity.
“It is something I look forward to every week,” said player Gabriel Law. “It’s fun playing organized basketball again, as opposed to the regular runs that go on.”
One great thing that comes out of intramural basketball has nothing to do with what happens on the court, but with the creative team names that students come up with. Names like “Goofy Goobers,” “Vatos Locos” and “White Men Can Jump” stand out and add personality to the league.
As the season comes to its last week, the remaining teams are now focused on winning the championship. The teams will play all this week, leading up to a foursome of championship games to close out the month-long season on Thursday, March 5.
For many, it’s an opportunity to get active and have some fun, but for Jaydn Martinez, there’s more to it.
“I’m a competitor, at the end of the day, I want to win,” Martinez said. “I won’t be happy with anything less.”
According to staff with the intramural program at NMSU, basketball continues to be one of the most popular offerings each semester, drawing consistent participation across all divisions.
With the championship games approaching, teams are preparing for their final chance to claim a title, while others reflect on a season filled with competition, energy, and community on campus.
No matter who takes home the championship, intramural basketball remains a staple of student life at NMSU, bringing students together both on and off the court.
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