Orange Madness unofficially kicked off the Syracuse men’s and women’s basketball seasons Friday night in the Carrier Dome.  Accompanying the usual 3-point contest, scrimmage and dunk contest, a musical performance from rapper Jadakiss and an appearance from ESPN college basketball host and former Virginia Tech head coach Seth Greenberg topped off the night.

Here are the best of the best from Friday night’s show in the Dome:

Best moment — Dajuan Coleman walking out with Orange Ambassador Nick Trivelpiece

Entering to “March Madness” by Future, Dajuan Coleman walked onto the stage with the team’s youngest member, 12-year old Nick Trivelpiece, an ‘Orange ambassador’ who is diagnosed with optic glioma.

As Coleman and Trivelpiece sauntered down the stairs, Trivelpiece’s baggy No. 1 jersey swished around as he high-fived fans and bobbed his head to Future’s anthem.

Trivelpiece has been with the team since 2009, when he was introduced to the SU team through a program that joins children with brain tumors with high school and college athletes. Trivelpiece once spoke at a gala for the Jim and Juli Boeheim Foundation at Turning Stone Casino in 2010, and was proclaimed by public address announcer Matt Park Friday night as the main catalyst who gets the team excited before games.

Best dunk — Tyus Battle’s reverse windmill, between the legs slam

In the night’s dunk contest which pitted Tyus Battle against defending champion Doyin Akintobi-Adeyeye, Battle pulled out the flashiest dunk of the evening, a reverse windmill between the legs slam dunk that sent the crowd to its feet.

 

Tyler Lydon, who was crouching next to the hoop as Battle took flight, jumped and spun around when Battle landed the dunk, throwing his towel in the air.

After receiving nines all-around from guest judges Trivelpiece, Jadakiss and Greenberg, Battle was crowned the winner. He spoke with Greenberg afterward, and when Greenberg asked if he would throw a dunk like that in a game that the Orange was up big, Battle shook his head and said matter-of-factly, “I don’t think Coach Boeheim would like that.”

Best walk out song — Jim Boeheim “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen

Slowly walking down the stage as he waved to fans, Springsteen’s classic song blasted from the speakers and served as a throwback for all of the older Syracuse fans in attendance. Boeheim’s entrance song was the only song Friday night that wasn’t modern hip hop or rap, and it was the final song Orange fans heard during the introductions as Boeheim grabbed the microphone to speak to the crowd.

Boeheim was joined by airmen from the 174th attack wing stationed at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base in Syracuse, who walked down the stage and onto the sidelines with him.

Boeheim told basketball insider Adam Zagoria in 2014 that he has been to “seven Bruce Springsteen shows”, and he told CBS Sports’ Matt Norlander that Springsteen is his favorite artist, so it’s no surprise that he came out to one of Springsteen’s classics.

Highlight of the night — Gerry McNamara dusting off the books and shooting some 3s

After a 3-point contest between Abby Grant, Gabrielle Cooper, John Gillon and Andrew White III, Seth Greenberg called SU assistant coach and former shooting guard Gerry McNamara to midcourt to put on a show for the fans.

Not warmed up and wearing a white Syracuse polo, McNamara drained 13 points worth of 3-pointers — including the money ball — tying Cooper’s tally and sending the crowd into an uproar.

Greenberg joked with McNamara after the contest, saying that since he only scored 13 points, he would probably be in the Carmelo K. Anthony Center all night shooting “1,000 shots.”

“That’s most likely true,” McNamara said as the Orange players laughed with him at midcourt.

Most hype — Players dancing with Jadakiss as he raps at the end of the event

After Battle won the dunk contest, rapper Jadakiss took to center court to close the night with one last song. As he bobbed back and forth and rapped, the men’s and women’s teams poured onto the court and began to vibe alongside him.

As Jadakiss’ gold chains bounced on his chest and his sunglasses reflected the multi-colored lights along the court, the Orange men and women simultaneously threw up their Final Four rings, showing off hundreds of diamonds that sparkled in the flashing concert lights.

At one point, freshman Matthew Moyer had his tongue sticking out and he threw up hand signs and rocked with Jadakiss’ lyrics, visibly having more fun than any of the other players. The crowd wasn’t as into it, though, and many fans took the opportunity to beat the traffic and head toward the exits.

Published on October 21, 2016 at 10:43 pm

Contact Matt: mjfel100@syr.edu