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On Sunday, the Office of Multicultural Affairs organized the first Black History Month Basketball Classic at the Women’s Building. The game featured a team of faculty and staff competing against a team of students. It gave the opportunity for students to network with staff members like Quincy Bufkin, the assistant director of diversity and inclusion, who said he was excited for students to be able to put a face to the name.

“We wanted to make sure students get to connect with faculty and staff,” Bufkin said. “It goes beyond just the basketball.”

Before the game began, a performer sang “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which added to the enthusiasm of the crowd. More than 50 people attended the game at the volleyball court which was converted into a basketball court for the afternoon.

After a strong start for the staff-faculty team, the students turned around a first quarter deficit and finished the first half with a narrow 14-12 lead.

At halftime, performances kept the event lively and engaging. Audience members, who sat in stands that looked onto the court, took part in the dances and shouted encouragement to the dancers below them.

As the second half started, it became clear the game would follow a similar trend as the second quarter, as the faculty and staff lost the 34-26 lead they. The students stayed dominant, with the occasional failed dunk, which kept the audience entertained. In the end, the students won the game with a commanding 51-38 lead.

The event was created to become an annual tradition to bring students and staff together as a chance to bond over the game. This was an important aspect of the event for Yaya Diawara, an SU junior in the College of Arts and Sciences and a student player in the game.

“It was fun to play with the staff and introduce ourselves (to them),” Diawara said. “The game brings unity in the Black community in a predominantly white institution.”

Diawara, who is also the vice president of the African Student Union, said that he found it important for students to come out and support the community.

Players on both the student and faculty teams were happy to connect with each other during the event. Jaden Chen | Asst. Photo Editor

After the game ended, students and faculty alike stayed around to shoot baskets at the court. Audience members were excited at the prospect of the Basketball Classic becoming an annual tradition.

Jordan Pierre, a junior in the Newhouse School of Public Communications, said he was excited for the growth of the event. He said that the Basketball Classic is part of a building process, but he added he wants to see more players and maybe even a tournament in the future.

“It was a great event to meet professors and for students to meet each other,” Pierre said. “It let students network with other Black and Brown professionals.”

Published on February 21, 2022 at 12:04 am