At a City College Basketball Game, Teamwork and Cheer on Display
Article and photograph by Erczika He Zapata
On Friday February 7th, the City of College New York women’s and men’s basketball team went against Medgar Evers College. The womens team played at 5:00pm for a 68-48 loss to Medgar Evers and the mens team played at 7:00pm for a winning score of 85-64. The true standout of both games was the passion, intensity, and dedication both teams brought to the court.
Maimouna Ba, an Advertising and Public Relations Senior at CCNY who has never been to a game before, told The Campus, “I am really excited to be here and I am rooting for CCNY because I am a CCNY student.” As she described the experience as intense and energetic, the women’s team scored their first point of the game. Although not all the bleachers were filled, the family members of CCNY women’s team made enough noise to fill the entire gym.
As the game progressed the intensity on both sides grew to the point where some parents got into a slight confrontation. Then again, it’s not a real game unless a little bit of drama is involved. Being that I was a spectator, I will say when the CCNY women’s team faced taunting remarks such as “you can’t make that shot” and “face it you lost already” from Medgar Evers College they did a phenomenal job in keeping their head cool and focusing on the game. Even though the CCNY women’s basketball team lost their match, they still maintained positive energy off the court. Head coach Marcello Di Russo described the team as “classmates that support each other and show a lot of pride in wearing the CCNY jersey. They have formed a wonderful community that other CCNY students should witness.” Describing how she’d been impacted by being a member of the team, Syndee Thompson (#14), a freshman who plays both guard and forward positions, scored 2 points, 3 rebounds, and 0 assists said “I have a better understanding of how to work with other people in a team setting.”
When it was CCNY men’s basketball team’s time to take over the court and start their game, not a minute was wasted. At first, Medgar Evers had the lead, but CCNY caught up in a matter of seconds. Before I knew it, it was already halftime and CCNY was in the winning position. The men’s team maintained their energy throughout the entire game, dominating Medgar Evers College. At the end, attendees and the CCNY women’s team cheered in unison for the home game win. In the midst of celebrations, coach Spencer Boateng described the CCNY men’s basketball team as, “Resilient, absolutely tough, hard workers, they love each other and basketball. I am definitely blessed to coach this group of young men.” Reflecting on how being a member of the team has influenced him, Justin Morety (#4) a junior who plays as a guard, scored 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists said “I got a boost of confidence working with this team.”
At the end of the night, both teams demonstrated that basketball at CCNY goes beyond the court; it’s about building character, fostering community, and working together for success. Their love for the game and their pride in representing CCNY can be felt by anyone who watches them play. By creating an atmosphere that embodies the essence of school spirit, it's clear that both the women’s and men’s teams truly reflect the core values of the City College of New York.
