November 6th Basketball Games
The first women’s Warrior basketball game did not go as originally hoped. The girls were filled with anticipation and excitement as they drove down to Missouri to compete with Calvary University. They arrived at the gym (a gym that cannot compare to the greatness of the Thunderdome) with just enough time for warm-ups and a team gathering in the locker room. At the jump ball, Calvary won the tip and started with a basket on the first possession. Our Warriors matched the opponents’ speed and pace, but the aggressiveness of the other team allowed them to widen the gap between scores. Our team put up some good shots, defended well, and snatched rebounds, but mistakes on offense cost the team a lot of easy points. At the end of the game, the girls held their heads high. They know that this is only the beginning.
The UAU women’s basketball team consists of ten players, five are returning players but one of those five is out for the season with a shoulder injury. Even with their preparation, practices simply cannot simulate a real game out on the court. It takes time in game to prepare for the challenges the court brings. Kassie Abrahamson, a sports physical therapy major from Sturgeon, Missouri said, “Our first game may have been a loss, but I can see lots of potential for the team. We took our mistakes and are ready to improve them. The team kept their spirits high through the whole game, and supported and encouraged each other to keep going.”
The men’s basketball game was an evenly matched game. Both teams brought their a-game, starting out with strong drives and inside shots. At first, the Warriors score was trailing Calvary’s, but after a good fight, they pulled ahead. The last few minutes of the game were critical. The scores were nearly even with the Warriors only a few points ahead. The opposing team did their best to put up numbers by drawing fouls, hoping to secure rebounds off of free throw shots. In the end, our men came out victorious, another win to their record. JP Grubbs, a nursing major from Conroe, Texas, said this when reflecting on the game: “Something that stood out to me in Wednesday night's game was our team's resiliency. Anytime adversity struck we settled down and played for each other to get over the hump to bring Coach Ben his first win as our Head Coach. I'm happy we won, and hopefully, we continue to keep that same consistency and bring it into future games.”
Be sure to check the Warrior’s schedule on the UAU website to see when your favorite university team plays!
by Sami Hoffer