'Bounce 4 Beats' raises about $3,500

Vying for cash and glory, both Greeks and independents alike faced off in Sigma Alpha Mu's three-on-three basketball tournament Saturday afternoon. The event, which benefited the Alzheimer's Association and Dance Marathon, raised $3,500. \n"We wanted to make a significant impact on a disease that affects thousands of people around the country," said junior Jeff Danziger, vice president of the fraternity. "Alzheimer's doesn't get a lot of attention, so we brought the event on campus to raise awareness and raise money for a significant cause." \nBounce 4 Beats -- so named because the event had previously benefited the American Heart Association -- pitted three-person teams against each other in a single-elimination tournament, Danziger said. Games lasted 20 minutes or until one team scored 15 points, whichever came first. \nTwenty-five teams competed for a $300 cash prize. About half were from fraternities and half were independent, Danziger said. And many were a mix, including overall winner Team Family, a group of four juniors..\nOriginally the event was held on campus in the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation gym, but this year, Sigma Alpha Mu members purchased basketball hoops and set up a tournament behind their house. \n"We wanted to provide a street ball atmosphere," Danziger said. "You call your own fouls and the best team wins."\nWith 25 teams, the event increased about twice in size since last year, Danziger said. By next year, they hope to increase to 40 men's teams and encourage women to form their own teams as well, he said. \nThe fraternity also teamed up with a sorority for the first time, Danziger said. The Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority worked with Sigma Alpha Mu to sell food, T-shirts and raffle tickets. The raffle included signed basketballs and footballs from Kelvin Sampson and Terry Hoeppner, the raffle and they raised about $100, he said.\n"Some of the basketball players were going to come if it didn't conflict with practice," Danziger said. "Unfortunately, they did end up having practice, but they sent their support." \nHalf of the total $3,500 will go to the Alzheimer's Association, Sigma Alpha Mu's national philanthropy, and the other half will go to IU Dance Marathon.\n"Dance Marathon is the biggest philanthropy, and it is very close to us because of Ashley Crouse," said junior Kimberly Fairchild, a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma.\nNew Sigma Alpha Mu pledges made up two of the teams, freshman Zach Stein said. Stein said his strategy, picking the tallest pledge, failed when his team was eliminated in the first round. \n"It didn't feel great (getting eliminated), but I tried my hardest," Stein said.\nOther teams brought more experience to the competition as this year's winner, Team Family, was previously the champion of IU's intramural basketball tournament. \nIt came as no surprise then when juniors John Guidry, Matt Campbell, Greg Freeman and Tre Kemp of Team Family won the competition. \n"We are blowing everyone away," Freeman said during the competition.