Boys bracket Review:

The boys pool had multiple huge upsets, giving the bracket the spontaneous nickname, “February Madness.”

The number 13 seeded Puck Bandits surprised many with a two win run that unfortunately ended against the Heezy Bops. But they did not fail to entertain with the flashy play of Clayton Trevino, taking down the number four seeded Vatican City Valedictorians in the process.

Another team that impressed most everyone was the Shanghai Shootaz. The Shootaz were able to pull off two consecutive upsets, landing them in the semi-finals, before eventually losing to the number two seeded Love Shaqs.

The Shootaz were an athletic team led by veteran guards Jahari Scott and Logan Horan. In my humble opinion, the 11 seed was a bit harsh, but they won some good games, including knocking off the number three seeded Shake and Bake. They lost in very respectable fashion, and should be proud of their playoff performance.

Possibly the game of the tournament occurred between the #14 ranked Team Coht, and Number 3 ranked Shake and Bake. The contest was down to the wire, and needed a first-to-five overtime to decide the outcome.

The game took place in the fieldhouse and had nearly every team in the building on their feet, watching with anticipation. In the end, junior Brady Goodman was able to put the game to bed with a decisive bucket, sending his team onto the quarter-finals.

The semi-finals hosted two great games, with all four teams hoping to punch their ticket to the final, brimming with confidence.

The Love Shaqs had one of their best games of the year in the semis against Shanghai Shootaz. The Shootaz were coming off a lights out performance against higher seeded Shake and Bake, and were looking to upset the Shaqs. However, the Shaqs came out hot making 4 quick 3s in a matter of 4 minutes. Despite lots of fight from Jahari Scott and Logan Horan, the offensive firepower from the Love Shaqs was just too much for the Shootaz to handle.

No Friends In the Industry, who would later go on to win the championship, were able to take down the Heezy Bops in a game that was close most of the way, but ended in a run from NF, resulting in a decisive victory. Kai Popov played a great game for the Heezy Bop, knocking down three 3s and two layups. However it was not enough to get the job done.

No Friends looked to be firing on all cylinders during most of the game, with MVP winner Aaron Kurian leading his team to victory. He was dominant behind the arc, and under the rim, netting 11 of his team’s 23 points.

The final score was 23-16 in favor of No Friends.

Boys Final:

The Final between the Love Shaqs and No Friends in the Industry was thrilling to say the least, and both teams put on a great show for what was the most watched game all season.

The 3 sport varsity athlete, Cade Nowik made an appearance for the Love Shaqs, and showed out.

No Friends in the Industry proved they are not here to make friends, and fired off to a hot start, Leading 9-3 after the first few minutes. But the Love Shaqs did not give up early, and the score was 18-10 going into halftime. Shortly before half however, No Friends MVP Aaron Kurian got injured. This allowed Love Shaqs to get back in the game. They brought it all the way back to 3 points before a few big buckets by Mac Chamberlain ended their run. In the end, No Friends pulled away and it was too much for the Shaqs. No Friends’ undefeated season will surely go down as one of the best teams of all time.

Although both writers’ teams ended up losing to No Friends, it would seem awfully fishy if the rankers themselves came home with the silverware. So we deem it safe to say that both losses can be chalked down to wanting to maintain the credibility of not only The Forest Scout, but the LFHS Intramural Basketball League as well.

Girls Bracket Review:

The girls playoffs this year provided the most surprising results all year. Three seeded: Chicken Noodle Hoops won it all with leadership from Ellie Digby and Sophia Spooner.

This dynamic duo did not completely reveal itself until championship weekend, but oh are we glad it did. Reminiscent of Kobe and Shaq, the unstoppable post play of Spooner, coupled with dynamic guard skills from Digby was more than enough to propel them past the higher ranked teams, earning them the much sought-after: “intramural champions shirt” at the end of the day.

The final was a week seven rematch, but the previous losers ended up on top. The Snoop Dawgs, longstanding 1 seed in the rankings, were primed and ready to go for their last day of intramural basketball. The beginning of the day provided some comic relief for those overburdened by nerves, with a player who shall remain unnamed, hurling on the comp gyms sideline, stopping play and enacting the use of seemingly thousands of paper towels. The Snoop Dawgs went on to win this game however, and advanced to the final.

Chicken Noodle Hoops on the other hand, had a bit more stressful day, and were not provided the luxury of a first round bye. They took on the bottom seeded Ballerz, which they handled with ease. The second round was a much tougher matchup as they faced The Patty’s Daddies. Many would’ve counted them out before the game even began, but that didn’t stop CNH. They were able to outmuscle the tallest team in the league and, once again, end up on top. Although Patty’s Daddies were without their star player Kate Kaptrosky, the slogan: “next woman up” remained true in this scenario.

MVP:

Without further ado, coming off a championship title, your women’s pool MVP, is Ellie Digby. Her athleticism and unmatched ball handling among the rest of the league put her head and shoulders above the rest, allowing her team to play in a creative way, and eventually leading them to a title.

Teams that could be good next year:

Some of our favorites for next year’s season, if all teams are able to stay intact, are: Team Coht, Puck Bandits, Tropic Thunder, and The Garrigan St. Antelopes.

All jokes aside, intramural basketball has been a huge success for students at Lake Forest High. It gives them a place to have fun, be competitive and show some skills that otherwise may never be seen. The future of intramural is in great shape and possibly could be looking to expand to more sports and more teams in the years to come. Thank you all for staying tuned in all year. It truly has been a pleasure to watch and write about.