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                College Basketball's Final Four a Festive Event

   by Greg Flakus

   As college basketball fans flood into Houstson the watch the Final Four
   contests of the NCAA Tournament, the city is in a party mood.

   With visitors packing hotels and downtown restaurants and bars, the
   event brings lots of dollars to the local economy.

   But for basketball fans, the real party is at the huge NRG Stadium,
   site of the competition. Many fans attended pregame practice sessions
   to check out their teams -- the University of North Carolina, the
   University of Oklahoma, Syracuse University in upstate New York and
   Villanova University in Philadelphia.

   For Carlee Daub of Norman, Oklahoma, the Final Four is very special.

   "It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see our boys in the Final
   Four. And I am pretty close with one of the coaches -- he might be my
   husband," she said with a laugh, displaying her wedding ring.

   Many local people will also see the games, but much of the excitement
   comes from fans who traveled long distances to be here.

   Twelve-year-old Tyler Hathaway and his father, Eric, came all the way
   from Rochester, New York, to support the Syracuse team.

   "We are season ticket-holders," Eric said. "This was a huge opportunity
   and with them being in the Final Four, it was something we could not
   miss."

   Jerry Chu from New York City has friends playing on two separate teams.

   "To me, I am torn, in the sense of the players I know, but in the sense
   of the game, it always keeps it interesting," he said.

   Indeed, many people attending these games came here from states with no
   team in the competition; they are here simply for the love of the game.

   "I have played basketball my whole life," said Jason Enoch, a fan of
   the sport from Kentucky. "Anything about basketball, I have been a part
   of it. I don't know, I just love the game."

   In Saturday's semifinals, North Carolina squares off against Villanova,
   and Oklahoma takes on Syracuse. The two winning teams will meet for the
   tournament championship on Monday.
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/college-basketball-final-four-festive-event/3266214.html