Hoops Madness a slam dunk!

The crowd stood, roared, and waved their hands as local rapper KC Luna, a.k.a. the Blind Queen, free-styled in the center of the gym during the school's second annual Hoops Madness on Saturday, Oct. 18.Hoop Madness is an event where students have the "opportunity to showcase their talent," said Stephone Leary, Head Coach of the men's basketball team."Although blind, she [KC] has a great gift given by the Lord, and that is rapping," said Leary.Along with Luna's performance, Hoop Madness held a variety of events that brought the community, student body, and athletes together: three-on-three tournament, three-point shootout, music and dance performances, the debuts of the Dustdevil mascot, cheerleaders, and pep band, and the introduction of the 2008-2009 men and women's basketball teams.The night kicked off with a three-on-three tournament. After a series of games, the Old-Timers took first with an outstanding performance. Comprised of Hector Rosas, Bernal Slight, Hugo Chaparro and Fred Juarez, they outscored Jump man 10-1."This event is great," said Juarez, Director of Budget, Payroll, Grants and Contracts.Juarez also added his secret to staying in shape: "exercising, eating healthy and not smoking."Following the tournament was the three-point shootout, which was won by Felipe Arizpe, a sophomore. Another highlight of the night was the introduction of the cheerleading squad and pep band, which are now working together and will be attending all home games. The cheerleading team is made up of 13 girls and one guy, the largest amount of members in school history."We have the pressure of making a good first impression, but we are excited to make school history," said Clarissa Contreras, a freshmen cheerleader.The cheerleader's performance was followed by two other dance teams, the boys and girls from Camelia's Dance Arts."This was my favorite part of the night; this year's Hoop Madness was much better than last year's," said Clovershea McGill, a junior Fitness and Sports major.Other performances during the night included Chris Davila, a finance major who accompanied his band, E!ite, Fallen on September, and Upper City Band.Diana Aguillon, a freshman nursing major, attended the event for the first time and really enjoyed it."Chris did a great job; I really enjoyed the content of his lyrics," said Aguillon.Women's Basketball Head Coach Daryl Vincent also enjoyed the "variety" of entertainment, but the event he most anticipated was the revealing of the new Dustdevil mascot, which made its appearance after the entertainment.The Dustdevil, rather than looking friendly like in previous years, is now sporting a basketball uniform and a determined face."We have received positive feedback about the mascot; people love the new athletic look," said Athletic Director Dr. Debbie Snell.People then waited anxiously for the basketball teams to be introduced."I want to see the dunk contest; I can't wait!" said Aguillon.Finally, Coach Vincent introduced his team as they ran out to the center of the gym. Coach Leary followed the same procedure with the men's team.Both teams gave the audience a small glimpse of the upcoming season by having a three-point shootout amongst each other, a dunk contest, and 10-minute scrimmages.The three-point shootout came down to the wire as the men led going into the last shooter. Shooting for the men was Jose Alicea while Valeria Villanueva shot for the women. The crowd was up on its feet as Villanueva drained her 14th three-pointer in a row, giving the women the win.Jerante Morgan, a junior, put on a great show during the dunking contest and outscored his teammates by earning 28 out of the possible 30 points from the judges.The scrimmages were short, but they excited the audience as well as the coaches."We look much better than last year and have a lot of potential, but we still have a long way to go," said Vincent about the women's team.As the night came to an end, Cody Delacquese, a middle school student, was the chosen to participate in the $10,000 shot sponsored by Wendy's.With 24 seconds on the clock, Delacquese made a lay-up, free-throw, and three-pointer, but time ran out, and he was unable to make the half-court shot that would have won him the money.This opportunity will continue at every home game during the men's half time. The first game for the men was on Nov. 3 against Nuevo Laredo's professional team, Los Venados. The women begin play on Nov. 21 in their La Quinta Inn/TAMIU Tip-off Classic Tournament."I was very pleased with the outcome of Hoop Madness; I hope the interaction between the students and the athletes encourage school spirit for the upcoming seasons," said Snell.