With only two games left in the season, the Texas A&M University-San Antonio Men’s Basketball Club — the 2021-2022 champions in the Texas Collegiate Athletic Conference — will play Trinity University at 8 p.m. March 22 in Trinity’s main basketball court.
Currently ranked fourth in the standings, the basketball club will then face the University of Incarnate Word at 8 pm. March 29 at UIW’s Wellness Center.
“Once those two games are done, we go to the playoffs which are all A teams,” said Eric Leung, president and head coach of the A&M-San Antonio Men’s Basketball Club.
Students are encouraged to attend the game and cheer on classmates who would appreciate the support, Leung especially. He is a sophomore at A&M-San Antonio, majoring in kinesiology and psychology.
“It would be nice to have an actual fan base, for students to realize that these guys are actual competitive spirits and athletes. They’re home grown,” Leung said.
With many students unaware that there is a men’s basketball club at A&M-San Antonio, Leung said he hopes that will change. His main ambition would be for more students to attend games and enable the fan base to grow and provide some much-needed encouragement for the players.
“I don’t think that connection is there between the students and them,” Leung said. “So why should they go? So they can realize that they have a pretty good team and that team is the defending champs. We don’t have that spirit in that student section and I think that’s why they should go.”
Among their achievements, the team competed in spring 2022 in the National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association, which regulates various sports across the United States. There, they were put into a tournament pool of 48 teams and made it all the way to the prestigious title of the ‘elite eight.’
“We won our first game against Stephen F. Austin University, our second game against The University of Oregon and in the sweet 16 beat UCLA. Then we lost in the elite eight to Lamar University,” Leung said.
“It’s cool, man. You’d be surprised what kind of talent I have on this team,” Leung said.
Spectators should expect a boisterous environment with live and colorful commentary by A&M-San Antonio communication graduate Marshall Best. Family members have also been known to cheer passionately and become quite vocal about any disagreements on how the game is proceeding.
Admission is free for both the Trinity and UIW games and the A&M-San Antonio cheerleaders will provide upbeat and inspiring energy for the players and those who come to support them.
The games also can be viewed live on the official basketball club YouTube page @tamusamensbasketballlivest4329.
In addition to watching the livestream and full game recaps of past games, viewers can watch a four-episode mini documentary that follows the team produced by communication alumnus Xander Chavarria.
For more information, visit the basketball team’s Instagram, YouTube or email leric01@jaguar.tamu.edu.
Jacob Gonzales contributed to this story.
