Amador held a March Madness basketball tournament for students in the large gym starting on March 6. Sign-ups began on Feb. 28, and each team required four players to participate. 

“(Games are) half court and three versus three, and you have a fourth person as a substitute. Basically it’s bracket style, so like it’s  one game elimination. If you lose a game, you are out,” said Matthew Foley (‘24), a player in the tournament. 

The games took place at lunch almost every day until March 15, when the championship game took place. 

“March Madness works by games of 11, but sometimes teams change it. They can play by ones or twos. It really depends on the players playing, but you have to win by two (points),” said Riley Borges (‘24), a player in the tournament.

Borges and Foley played on the same team with Gus Shiblaq (‘24) and Dillon Duke (‘24). While they didn’t make it past the first round, they still enjoyed their experience in the tournament. 

“My favorite part about March Madness is playing with my team, even though we have not won a game,” said Foley.

Many students who did not sign up or participate in the tournament, or lost their games and were out of the tournament, went to the gym and watched their friends compete. 

“I do March Madness because it is fun. At lunch, normally, I just hang out at the tables, and it is fun to play a competitive thing like basketball,” said Foley.

The event brought the community and student body together and allowed everyone to bond with one another and connect with new people through the spirit of both collaboration and competition. 

“It brings the Amador community together because it is something that a lot of people will do, like people who don’t even play basketball will come and do this, which I think is pretty awesome,” said Foley.