Every year the men and women’s basketball teams hold a Full Court Fest filled with contests.

On Tuesday, November 10 in the University Center, the men and women’s basketball teams held their annual Full Court Fest. Free Raising Cane’s was given out to students as well as free t-shirts. Both basketball teams were introduced along with their coaches.

Students and players participated in multiple basketball related competitions to win prizes. The contests included the Three Point Shot which is called L-I-O-N-S, and it can be compared to the game horse. They put paw prints around the 3 point line, so the players could take shots around the world. To play, a men’s basketball player adopted a female student, and a women’s basketball player adopted a male student. The students passed the ball to the players after each shot was taken. The players competed for the student to win the prizes.
The last two contests were a dunk contest between the men’s basketball players and a dance contest between the students. The dance contest was judged by a selection of men and women’s players.

Senior English major Julie Aceituno won a 32 inch Vizio smart TV by participating in the three point competition.

“I played the three point competition,” said Aceituno. “I was just rebounding and passing the ball back to the shooter. It was pretty cool. There was a lot of competitions and stuff; it was definitely worth coming out to.”

The Lion and Lady Lion’s basketball teams strive to have a full student section during games and Athletic Director Lindsey Cramer hopes that for this season students will come together to support the teams.

“I feel like we strive to have a strong student section here, and we specifically put them behind our away bench to get them loud, and intimidate the other team and fans on the sides as well,” said Cramer. “I feel like that is always where we have fallen through the cracks because of course we have fans but some of them aren’t willing to get loud and some of them may sit on the other side where their voices don’t project. Our main priority is to get them all together and get them loud and intimidate and show our team some support because sometimes our team doesn’t see many people out here because they are so spread out.”

The Head Basketball coach Jay Ladner appreciated the student turn out this year at Full Court Fest. He also hopes for a full student section this year because it makes winning more fun.

“We had a lot of fun. I am really appreciative of them,” said Ladner. “It was a great turn out and I was trying to tell them if we could just get them to come out to the basketball games and sit in those two sections that’s a great student section and that impacts winning, and I think that’s why it is fun. Our guys get to relax a little bit and they are not being pushed by the coaches in practice. It was a great event. I know our players had a lot of fun and it seemed like everyone else did as well.”

For the full men and women’s basketball schedule, please visit lionsports.net.