Cager's Hell: A Basketball Saga

It is that time of the year again. Basketball is the buzz around IMT and the Kobe Bryants and Rebecca Lobos can be seen swarming around the basketball court (aka BBC) like flies in the evening. The League of Titans is back again with the “Cager’s Hell” (Basketball) after hosting “Volleycano” (Volleyball) and “Chop Spin” (Table Tennis) last month. Some people are still wary of it after experiencing high blood pressures, near cardiac arrest sensations and absence of fingernails the last time.

The fever of basketball has already gripped IMT. The posters, prototypes and mammoth 3D figures don’t let you forget even for a microsecond that the best dunkers of IMT are on the prowl.

The Cager’s Hell Prototype

The ‘NESCAFE JORDAN’

The Opening Day

Finally, the fateful moment arrived and it all began with a thunderous roar on the first night of September. The gates of the Cager’s Hell were opened and the first day saw 16 teams battling it out against each other. It didn’t matter whether you were a senior or a junior; you had to fight to be called the “Titan”. “Baap Ji” (Sr. Sec. B) and Jr. Sec. C were the pre tournament favorites as they boasted stellar line-ups on paper.

The first match of the first round (Qualifying Round) saw Senior A and Senior G lock horns against each other and it was Senior A which came out on top. As the night grew darker, the intensity levels started approaching the threshold. On one hand, there were teams like Baap-Ji (Sr. Sec. B) and Junior C who didn’t break a sweat while on the other there were teams like Victor E (Sr. Sec. E ) and DCP B who gave it their all to produce humdingers. The master class of pros like Manoj and Pratyay set the court on fire.

The day had its fair share of upsets as well. The harmless looking team of Junior B left the favorites, Victor E (Sr. Sec. E), gasping for air with their agility and determination. Another potential title contender, Dabbang (Senior D), met with the same fate. DCP –A completed a clinical victory over them which left everybody surprised, to say the least. And how can we dare to forget the nerve-wrecker between the Fs (Jr. Sec. F) and DCP-B. The last match of the day proved to be an icing on the cake. Although the Fs maintained a slender lead throughout the span of three quarters, some inspired play from DCP-B in the last quarter saw them edge past the Fs.

The crowd was active throughout the day with each section enjoying a significant support. From slogans to swearing, everything could be heard on a noisy basketball court. Thunderous claps, elated high fives and desperate advices were part of a memorable day.

With two more days to go, the mercury is expected to rise, the appetite to win is expected to get stronger and the titans are expected to rise. It is high time to fasten your seatbelts because this is going to be one hell of a roller coaster ride.

The stage is set for some spectacular quarter-final matches with the top 8 fighting it out for a berth in the semi-finals. So, believe me when I say – Picture abhi baaki hai mere dost!!