At around 11:20 a.m., the newly built Mark Salkind Center is a bustling place. People wait anxiously for their food from Flik, students hunch over their laptops to cram for their test next period, while some swish threes and break ankles all over the basketball court. This group of basketballers flock to the Salkind Center gym everyday.

  Contrary to popular belief, these basketball fans do not eat their lunch in three minutes then run to class in order to maximize time on the court.

  “I’ll grab some food with the boys and we’ll eat … if there’s nothing to do we’ll play basketball,” said Dom Bobila (‘17). In fact, they try to keep the basketball fairly mellow. “We try to get games going, but everyone says ‘oh I’m not trying to get sweaty,’” Bobila said.

  Lunch time basketball can be quite the opposite of the formal games played by Urban’s girls and boys basketball teams with referees, timed quarters, and cheering fans. For some, it is a time to relax.

  “I play to relieve stress and take my mind off other academic activities,” said Max McAllister (‘17), a regular on the court who does not play for the Urban team.

  “I like shooting around because it’s relaxing, seeing the ball go through the net – the swish,” said Bobila. “A lot of people spend their lunches talking to their friends and sitting around,” said Bobila, “we just do it while shooting around.”

   The same individuals for the most part, from freshmen to seniors, can be seen frequenting the Salkind Center gym during lunch.

  “Some of the seniors boss some of the younger kids around,” said Nathan Storey (‘20), a usual on the court, but, “it’s a good way for freshmen to get to know upperclassmen.” Storey also said that “more people should come play.”