Intramural basketball is an opportunity for students to play organized five on five basketball with their peers.

Mr. Blaine Williams has an extensive history of running the intramural basketball program.
“I have spent probably close to 15 years now as the head of intramural basketball. For a few years early on, I was the assistant, but since then, I have been the only one running it. I have been looking for someone to take it over when I am done, but I would like even more to have someone to help me run the league,” Mr. Williams said.

Some athletes’ favorite sporting experiences come from sports they do not compete in for the school.

“I have played football since my freshman year at Greenwood, and some of my favorite sports memories have happened at intramural basketball games. It is a fun way to play sports with your friends that you typically do not get to play with,” junior Nic Grimes said.

Mr. Williams agreed.

“It is always funny to me how seriously some of these athletes take it. Every year I will have people tell me that they have been looking forward to intramural basketball since it ended the previous year,” he said. 

Some athletes have spent time with the official basketball team. They see intramural basketball as an opportunity to play a more laid back game. 

“I played basketball for the freshman team and went to the off-season basketball workouts the last two years. Intramural will be a less stressful experience, and I will be able to play outside of my typical role that I had for the basketball team, playing defense and getting rebounds,” junior Harman Singh said.

Being around the basketball team has influenced one player to join intramural basketball.

“My freshman year I was the basketball manager. I wanted to play intramural basketball because being around their practices made me want to play myself,” sophomore Ben Corliss said. 

Some seniors said they should be picked early in the draft. 

“I feel like my athleticism alone should make me a high draft pick. Even if some younger guys may be a little more skilled than me, they can not match my athleticism and strength from the extra years of working out,” senior Brayden Wright said.

Grimes was honest about his player profile.

“I am not the most skilled player on offense. I help my team by rebounding and playing good defense. Last year, my team won the championship, and I feel like my defense was a big help in that,” Grimes said. 

Mr. Williams reminisced on some of his fondest memories going into this intramural basketball season. 

“I will never forget one year that we had to play the championship game at the old middle school because all of the courts were reserved here at the high school. A kid hit a shot from half court to send the game to overtime, and it being in the old middle school gym made it an even cooler memory,” he said. 

The intramural basketball skills combine took place on Monday with draft on Tuesday. The first slate of intramural games will be the Wednesday after Winter Break.