I mean…You cannot say I did not warn you. I took a lot of heat when I placed the Green and Pink atop my Fall power rankings, but oh boy did they have my back. For those who missed the epic final against the Jream Team, MASF pulled off an enthralling comeback to capture their first Hamilton Intramural Basketball trophy in franchise history. Bobby Asel ’25 took matters into his own hands after the squad allowed 11 straight points to start the game. Asel was doing it all in a masterful performance that earned him finals MVP, dominating on both ends of the floor and pouring in timely buckets when the offense went cold. Have to give a ton of credit to the Jream Team who played their absolute tails off; MASF led by as much as 18 early in the second half and the Jans clawed their way back to

completely erase that deficit with five minutes to go. The final 20

seconds felt like decades, as the Jans, trailing by one, drew up a play

to get an open look for sniper Eddie Taylor ’25, whose last-ditch

heave rattled in and out, centimeters away from earning them the

ultimate prize.

MASF epitomized chemistry and fight all semester long. The group was no stranger to adversity throughout an up-and-down season packed with inconsistency and some head-scratching performances. Forward Tristan Sollecito ’25 was benched in the second half of the final game but came in for defensive purposes on the final possession. “I was just terrified I was going to let these guys down. I really didn’t deserve to be out there, the way I played all year, but to know that it was enough when the buzzer sounded and we were lifting the trophy, that was pretty special…Just couldn’t ask for a better group of guys, and to think we haven’t even scratched the

surface of what we can do…Next semester’s gonna be fun.” Center

Austin Stapleton ’24 provided both a physical and emotional boost down the stretch, returning from that gruesome leg injury he suffered in a rugby game last spring. He led a group of bruising bigs that out-hustled their opposition game in and game out. Stapleton spoke on their determination in the final game. “Couldn’t be more proud of the muscle up front, from Matty Sticks [Fiore ’24] on the defensive end, to Bohbin [Shim ’24] and Patty McBuckets [Cleary’24] pounding the glass. William Carson Rampe [’24] throwing his body around… all-around dominant performance.”

This roster was just built to win championships with 12 hard-working and skilled players who all bring something unique to the table. Richard Sherpa ’24 and Sean Kondracki ’24 made it rain all year long, adding a dimension to the offense that forced opposing defenders to extend and make room for guards Justin Kim ’24 and Allen Cao ’24 to do what they do best on the interior. Daniel “Tantrums” Goldstein ’24, who was held out of the finals due to an ankle injury, was not able to provide his elite hustle and playmaking ability, but his presence was far from absent in the biggest game of the year. Stapleton expanded on what he thinks the future holds for the organization. “We have so much room to grow, losing Bobby is going to hurt for sure, but when you think about how many guys didn’t even play to their potential this season…I mean just take Tristan, I mean I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a human being play basketball that poorly in my entire life…I’m just excited, I know how much better we can play, and I think we’re going to be really tough to stop.”

MASF opens the Spring season as the overwhelming favorite to repeat, and this squad is going to be an absolute spectacle to watch. Daniel Tantrums and Stapleton should both come back fully healthy, and I am already getting word that they look strong in camp. If you are looking for a team to root for this IM season, it would be tough to go wrong with this group, who plays a dynamic style of offense and scintillatingly stifling defense that is sure to light up the TV ratings all year long. Spoiler alert, there is a good chance MASF finds themselves all the way at the top of my first power rankings, and if any of you have something you want to say

about that, please do not hesitate to do so.