The long lines that appear during peak hours in the Student Recreation Center’s gym are affecting more than just weight room junkies; basketball players also feel ‘fouled’ because of the long waits and crowded courts.

Basketball is one of the most popular on-campus extracurricular activities regularly played by UA students at the Rec Center, said Juliette Moore, director of the Rec Center.

Most students are aware of peak-hour lines in the weight room, which usually form between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., but heavy traffic also troubles the basketball gym, Moore said.

“”If you come around 6:30 (p.m.) or 7 (p.m.) you sometimes wait three, maybe four games,”” said Aaron Argerbury, a UA alumnus. “”Before you play a single game it could be an hour.””

Often when a game is over, the team that loses has to wait several games before it can play again, Argerbury said.

Currently the Rec Center has three courts open during regular hours for students who want to play full court 5-on-5 pick-up games.

The two additional basketball courts in the Rec Center are used for other sports’ practices, like karate.

“”I think that they should put something like karate in one of the other rooms instead of here,”” Argerbury said. “”There are plenty of other rooms to do activities like that in.””

Most games are played to 11 points and last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes, Argerbury said.

“”If you want to get on the first court, which is where the higher level basketball happens, then you’re probably going to have to wait two or three games,”” said Mike Honeycutt, assistant director of the Rec Center.

The problem is that most students come during a span of a few hours, which increases traffic, Honeycutt said.

“”(Waiting) just makes it better because you don’t want to lose,”” said Ryan Revnak, a regional development senior. “”I think people sometimes play harder for that reason.””

Moore said students who want to avoid long waits to play should adjust their basketball schedules around peak hours to dodge the large crowds.

“”I don’t really go at peak hours,”” Revnak said. “”If there’s too many people, and you have to wait for more than two games, it’s a pain.””

Revnak said the gaming system is properly organized, but the problem is a lack of courts.

In November, students voted overwhelmingly to keep a $25-per-semester fee to pay for an expansion of the facility that would include a larger weight room, a leisure pool and the possibility of more basketball courts.

“”With the expansion, it is our hope that we can look at the critical spaces, the weight room being our number one priority, and assess the need for expansion,”” Moore said. “”At this point, it looks like we will probably be including two new basketball courts.””

If the expansion continues on schedule, the project will be completed in 2009, Moore said.