Basketball season is now in play to take its shot at glory. Here’s why the right tabletop hot sauce can be your team’s MVP come tournament time.

Hoops has evolved to the point where positions don’t matter as much as they once did. But, when you think about spacing the court and sharing the ball, it’s still helpful to consider the role of all five players, and what they bring to the floor. To get in the gameday spirit, we take a look at the different ways hot sauce can assist your specials.

Put Me in Coach

When we analyze hot sauces, spicy leads the way. Introducing the coach of the saucy team, Wilbur Scoville. An American pharmacist in the first part of the 20th century, Scoville created a test that measured the effect of hot chilis on people. Essentially, the Scoville scale is a measurement of spicy.

For example, TABASCO® Sriracha Sauce contains one to three-thousand SHUs (or Scoville heat units), which results in a 2-out-of-5 on the heat scale. Since not everyone is a heat freak, this mellow spicy level covers a wide-range of palates — from heat lovers who still want to taste the flavors of their meal without being overpowered, to the heat hesitant, interested in adding just a touch of spice to their wings or pizza.

On Point

The player responsible for handling the ball and running the offense is the point guard — often considered the coach on the floor. Which makes sense, because like Coach Scoville, spicy flavor is what gets things started with hot sauce.

Sriracha is typically crafted from a paste that utilizes chili peppers, although some popular bottles employ a jalapeno base. For fans that go absolutely mad over specific kinds of hot sauce, they’ll be relieved to know that a brand like TABASCO® Sriracha uses the same, classic oak barrel-aged peppers as the Original Red Pepper Sauce.

Shoot Your Shot

The point guard passes the ball to a shooting guard, known for their sweet outside shooting stroke. And sweet is really what distinguishes Sriracha from other hot sauces.

There’s a harmonious balance of flavor between the spicy, garlicy tones and the sweet chilis at play. In the case of Asian Pride® Sriracha Seasoning, subtly sweet elements comingle with savory notes, sending waves of flavor over fired up taste buds.

Forward with Flavor

The 3 is usually a small or swing forward, tasked with several different responsibilities: shooting, driving, and defending other quality wings — really the glue that holds the team together.

A key characteristic of hot sauce is versatility and an underrated range of vibes. It can be smooth and sharp, savory and thick, rich, tangy, and citrusy. The Contigo® line of hot sauces is a good example — habanero, chile de arbol, poblano, and a seafood sauce, among others, offer something for every palate.

Center of Attention

In basketball, giants once roamed the court. Now, obviously, very tall people are all over the floor, but the game used to revolve around centers and power forwards catching the ball in the post.

With so many hot sauce fanatics watching games, your tabletop bottles are still going to be the center of attention. So, having the right brand can add extra power to your flavor game. A trusted name like TABASCO® ensures that guests take notice. In fact^*, within the Sriracha category, TABASCO® has risen to the #1 tabletop position with astonishing growth of 221.5% in just the last year. Talk about playing above the rim!

Come tournament time, things will start getting a little crazy. Beat the buzzer with hot sauce selections that can fire fans up.

^*Circana Supply Track, 12 month sending 12/23

Content provided in partnership with TABASCO®.