With the 2012-13 NCAA season kick-off, aptly titled Midnight Madness, set to begin on every college campus across the country in only a few weeks beginning on October 12th, college students are camping out in tents in hopes of securing a ticket to the entertaining event.
Most include a state of the team address by the head coach, player introductions set to music and dazzling light shows, then are usually followed by a performance from a well known pop star or hip-hop artist. The event is also huge in terms of recruiting as each school tries to convince some of the nation’s top recruits to attend their own version of Madness, in hopes of showing off their program and enticing the elite prospects to commit to the program.
The University of Kentucky has been one of the most entertaining spots to witness the Madness in recent years as it was the initial spot that now NBA star John Wall unveiled the now famous “Dougie” during player introductions back in 2009. Last season, Big Blue Madness was the first chance to catch a glimpse of future NCAA POY and #1 overall NBA Draft pick Anthony Davis in a Kentucky uniform.
Just last week this year’s top overall HS recruit Nerlens Noel made an appearance with the campers waiting in line for BBM tickets. He was immediately challenged on the blacktop courts to a game of one-on-one and actually took a nasty spill before regaining his composure and dunking all over a superfan.
This time it was potential NBA ROY Anthony Davis who made an appearance with the campers as he also was promptly challenged by another fan(don’t they ever learn?). Davis wasted no time caving into the fan’s taunts by tossing the ball high off the backboard before finishing off a thunderous slam, wowing the crowd in attendance.
Considering Noel’s nasty fall a few days earlier, I hope the New Orleans Hornets were made aware of Mr Davis’ trek back to Lexington, even if it was all in good fun…….
Anthony Davis’ Off The Backboard Dunk at the Big Blue Madness Camp:
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen has also provided content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, Cleveland.com, CSN Philly.com, Buckets Magazine, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
