There may never be a perfect example of describing the essence of basketball as it is played at the highest level. It is like describing music through words, or a painting through text. You can give a feeling of the work, or compare it to something else, but you can’t re-create the actual feeling of being on the court, or making that move, of imposing your will, of the precise moment that you can reach the front of the rim. Because it is not a moment, it is a sense, an instinct, a flicker of insight and nerve so sudden that you have to act on it before it is a thought. What do you see? A subtle shift of weight, a lowering of the hands, a leaning forward, a glance, and that is enough to set off a chain of events. They are actions that stem from a thousand tiny instincts.
College level basketball is generally not given the same amount of importance, at least not in India. But watching the matches happen during Spree, you would be amazed at the quality of talent on display. With more than 30 matches taking place over the 3 days of the sports festival, the competitive spirit is at it’s peak from the knockout stages of the tournament.
There have been many teams that have participated in the competition over the years, but everyone years consistency. IMED, Pune have been able to show that with their exemplary performances over the last few editions of the sports fests. They have had two trips to the finals over the last three years, and this year they are coming back to defend their title as winners of Spree 2016. They have been part of some of the best displays of basketball over the last couple of years, and the crowd always seems to love their style of play. They seems to play with a never say die attitude, and nothing showed this more than their semi-final match-up against KMC,Delhi two years ago. All the odds were stacked against the, and they were horribly undersized as compared to their opponents who were blessed with the deadly combination of height and agility. At one point during the game, they trailed by as many as 12 points. But during the last quarter of the game, they gave it their all, and shaved down the deficit to 3 points. Ask any spectator from that game, and they would all tell you that KMC were saved by the bell. IMED walked away from the game losing by 2 points, but came back next year to win the competition.
The game has always been played in the right spirit, and never once has there been an incidence on the court that has taken away anything from the quality of the matches played. After the deserving teams make their way out of the pool stages, the matches are very intense, with the players leaving everything they have on the court. This year, there are multiple teams coming from all parts of India, and we are expecting the quality of teams to be of a very high level. With at least three colleges from the Delhi University circuit, there is sure to be some very talented players on court during the three days of the festival.
Spree is going to bigger than ever this year, with the introduction of new sports such as Powerlifting and Kabaddi, along with the usual crowd pullers, basketball, badminton, football and cricket. With a rigorous vetting procedure, with absolutely no compromise on quality of competition, Spree this year is sure to surpass its past editions on all fronts, and firmly establish itself as the best Sports fest in India.
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