Dunk diving

Dunks, alley-oops and long distance shots were the names of the games as Marshal introduced its basketball teams to crowd of 1,000 Thursday at the Cam Henderson Center.

“Herd Madness” displayed the teams’ talents through competitions, drills and a pair of scrimmages.

“The biggest thing we wanted to do tonight was showcase our guys,” said Donnie Jones, men’s team head coach.

The evening began with player introductions and a scrimmage for the women’s team. After a brief message from women’s head coach Royce Chadwick, the team hit the court for a brief intra-squad game.

Led by British national team captain Chantelle Handy, the green team defeated the white team 18-5.

“It was really fun to play in front of this many people and the student body,” said senior guard and forward Alyssa Hammond. “This is double what we have at our normal games.”

The scrimmage m

arked the first time the women’s team participated in Herd Madness with the men.

“If we waited for everyone to play in front of a big crowd our first game, I think that there would be a lot more nerves,” Hammond said. “Things like this help the younger players get their nerves out and they are prepared to play when the real game comes.”

Following the 15-minute exhibition, the men’s team was introduced and showcased some of its practice drills for those in attendance.

“We just wanted to get out there and play a little street ball tonight,” Jones said.

When the players were finished warming up, it was time for players Hassan Whiteside, Eladio Espinosa, Antonio Haymon, Dago Pena and Shaquille Johnson to take flight in the dunk contest. The contest allowed each player 30 seconds to show off his best three dunks.

After the first round, only Johnson, Espinosa and Whiteside remained. Herd newcomer Whiteside, freshman forward, dazzled the crowd when he ran the full length of the court before slamming the ball home.

“I always grew up watching Michael Jordan, that’s why I jumped from the free-throw line,” Whiteside said. “I couldn’t wait to be able to do that.”

In the second round Whiteside scored 57 points, three shy of a perfect score.

Following the dunk contest, the full squad participated in a three-point shootout. The team, led by senior Tyler Wilkerson, earned the victory as the fans roared to life.

Then it was the men’s turn to display their in-game talents to the crowd.

 

Split up into green and white teams, the men played a 15-minute scrimmage.

“It was very exciting,” said junior forward Tirrell Baines. “There was a good crowd in here and it gave us energy.”

Whiteside again amazed the crowd with four blocks, eight points and five rebounds. Baines picked up where he left off last season with 11 points in the game.

 Johnson, sophomore guard, led the green team with an 11-point effort, but the green team was defeated 35-28.

“I couldn’t wait to get out here,” Whiteside said. “I’ve been waiting for awhile to put on a Herd uniform.”

The men’s basketball team will play an exhibition game against West Virginia Wesleyan on Nov. 10 before beginning regular season play Nov. 15 against North Carolina A&T. The women also will play Wesleyan on Nov. 1 in an exhibition and then start the season at home against Appalachian State on Nov. 13.

   Adam Russell can be contacted at russell58@marshall.edu.