If the Terrapin men’s basketball team looks as sharp on the court this season as it did while dancing Friday night during Maryland Madness, it s in for a big year.
Dressed in all-white suits with white top hats, red bow ties and their typical basketball sneakers, the Terps entered the court at Comcast Center in a vintage black Cadillac to the sound of Rich Boy’s “Throw Some D’s.” They followed the entrance with an energetic dance, which put the crowd in its most raucous state of the night.
“I thought we danced really well,” coach Gary Williams said in a joking assessment.
Senior James Gist said the team practiced the dance for four days and got a little choreography help from the cheerleaders.
Senior Bambale Osby, who owns four Cadillacs of his own, came up with the idea to emerge from the classic car.
The players weren’t the only ones driving in style, though. Not to be outdone, Williams drove a bright yellow Lamborghini on to the court after being announced.
The night, which is supposed to mark the beginning of basketball season, was instead all about having fun. The women’s team added its own dance to the festivities. All in all, there was more effort shown during the dances than there was on the defensive end of the floor during the two teams’ scrimmages.
“It never gets old,” Gist said. “It’s a night of fun, a night for the guys, a night for the team. This night is all about us. We get to come out here and have a good time, interact with the fans. It’s great to see the support we have.”
Aside from about half of the upper deck, most of the seats at Comcast Center were full for the free event. For the third straight year, Maryland Madness was scheduled during family weekend.
The customary player introductions for the men’s team truly served as introductions. With six true freshman on the squad, fans got their first look at the newcomers who will be lacing it up for the Terps when the season starts next month. They also got a first look at the new uniforms the team will don this winter.
Shane Walker led the freshmen in scoring during the scrimmage with 10 points for the white team. Adrian Bowie added eight points for losing red squad.
Among all the youth, it was a senior who was most impressive.
Gist led all scorers with 11 points in his white team’s 37-33 victory. He threw down thunderous jams and flew around the lane blocking shots on defense. The women’s team, which enters the season ranked No. 4 in the country, presented five new true freshmen.
Moments after performing their own dance, in which they put on black dresses and shook tambourines, the women got back into basketball gear for an abbreviated scrimmage.
Head coach Brenda Frese talked about the twins she is expecting in March, then thanked the fans for their support last season.
“What we have here is the best fans in the country,” Frese said.
Aside from the dances and scrimmages from the basketball teams, the night was filled with an alumni game, student slam-dunk contest and performances from the spirit squad, competitive cheer team, dance team and Gymkana.
“This has become a big thing not only for basketball but for the university,” Williams said, noting how special it is for all the other performers to get to present themselves in front of such a large crowd.
Gymkana, which has become a fan favorite over the years, energized more than just the fans in attendance. During its performance, sophomore Greivis Vasquez, still in his white top hat, and Osby jumped around in awe on the sidelines. It signified the change in attitude last year’s newcomers brought to the team.
“Between Greivis and Bambale, we don’t have to worry about adding color to our team,” Williams said. “They are as colorful as anybody I’ve coached.”
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