Carlmont High School’s gym filled quickly as students packed into the bleachers for the Mini Madness final.
The senior team, the Shivers, faced off against the junior team, Junko FTC. Pizza would be awarded to the winning team.
Mini Madness was organized by the Associated Student Body (ASB), which planned the event to give students a break from academics during lunch. ASB members set up the court, managed the scoreboard, and promoted the event through social media.
“The goal was to bring the student body together and have fun during lunch,” said sophomore Kylie Gallagher, a member of ASB.
From the start, the crowd was loud and energetic, with half of the bleachers already filled up during the teams’ warmups. Students cheered from the stands and stayed engaged throughout the game.
“It was cool to see students enjoying their lunch and coming to watch us play,” said Vaid Nallu, a senior player on the Shivers team.
The game started with a running clock of 20 minutes. Junko FTC started off strong, winning the tipoff and scoring their first points. A 3-pointer from one of their players drew a strong reaction from both teams and the crowd. Junko FTC quickly started a streak, adding two more points to the scoreboard, leaving Shivers scoreless in the opening minutes.
“It reminded me of playing basketball last year. It was fun having a crowd and bringing the energy,” said Garret Andrews, a junior player on the Junko FTC team.
As the game went on, Junko FTC continued on with their streak. Meanwhile, the Shivers started off slow, until a player from their team shot a clean 3-pointer, finally putting some points on their scoreboard.
Still, Junko FTC remained in the lead, holding the score at 11-3. They continued their streak, scoring another 3-pointer and pushing the score to 14-4 with seven minutes remaining.
As the game was coming to an end, the scores went from 14-3 to 17-7 and later 17-10. The energy remained lighthearted, with friends shouting out names and cheering players on. Several players attempted half-court shots, adding excitement to the game.
“The energy was really fun and kind of chaotic. Everyone was laughing and just enjoying it,” said spectator sophomore Ananti Badhwar.
When the clock ran out, it was Junko FTC who secured the win and earned the pizza prize, with the final score being 17-10.
“It’s a tough loss, but I think we learned a lot and gained a lot of chemistry,” Nallu said.
Junko FTC, who were very pleased with their win, emphasized the importance of teamwork and communication.
“We communicated well, and that really helped us win,” Andrews said.
ASB members highlighted the strong turnout of the event as it gained a lot of interest for next year’s event.
“People saw how fun it was and wanted to join or come watch,” Gallagher said.
