BATON ROUGE — A crowd of some 3,500 turned out Friday night at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center to be a part of a “Party at Pete’s Palace” featuring the home opening volleyball match of the season for the LSU women and the official opening of basketball practice for the men and women’s teams.
After watching the LSU volleyball team down Mississippi State, 3-0 (30-20, 30-21, 32-30), the crowd moved to the course of the Maravich Center to get autographs and visit with members of both teams.
Although comedian Marc Curry was a no-show after missing his flight to Baton Rouge earlier in the day, the crowd didn’t seem to mind that because they wanted to see the real show, the introduction of the 2005-06 Tigers and Lady Tigers.
With the house lights lowered and spotlights circling the building, emcees Victor Howell of Cox Sports Television and Emily Hammett introduced the two teams and proceeded to get to the action starting with a three-point shooting contest in which members of each team were paired with fans in the stands. Lady Tiger Quianna Chaney and her partner Gaston Major of Baton Rouge downed Tasmin Mitchell and his partner in the final.
In the hotshot contest, Semoine Augustus and Garrett Temple out shot Flo Williams and Darnell Lazare, 22-14.
There was then something of a wacky relay that featured Hanna Biernacka driving a remote control car and Glen Davis riding a miniature bicycle to defeat a group that include RaShonta LeBlanc and Ben Voogd.
From there, the night went off script when Victor Howell brought together coaches John Brady and Pokey Chatman in their own showdown on the miniature bikes. Coach Chatman was given the photo finish nod, but the members of the men’s team were declaring in favor of their man when the cone Pokey circled with her bike was knocked over.
Finally, in the main event of the evening, Chris Johnson won the slam-dunk contest in an audience vote-off over Dameon Mason. Sylvia Fowles also made the finals and completed dunks in both her attempts.
The evening marked the first official athletic event in the newly redesigned Pete Maravich Center, featuring all new seats and expansion and redesign of many concourse areas. This was also the first time that the basketball teams got together on the official opening night of practice with a public event.
Both teams will begin official practices on Saturday morning in preparation for the 2005-06 season.
Three-point Shot Contest
Semifinals
1. Chaney – 12
2. T. Mitchell – 9
3. D. Mitchell – 8
4. Hoston – 6
Finals
1. Quianna Chaney 12 with Gaston Major of Baton Rouge, La.
2. T. Mitchell 6
Hot Shot Contest
1. Seimone Augustus and Garrett Temple – 22 pts.
2. Florence Williams and Darnell Lazare – 14 pts.
Wacky Relay
1. Hanna Biernacka and Glen Davis
2. RaShonta LeBlanc and Ben Voogd
Coaches’ Tricycle Challenge
1. Pokey Chatman
2. John Brady *
* played under protest for cutting corner
Slam Dunk Contest
Semifinals
1. Chris Johnson
2. Sylvia Fowles
3. Dameon Mason
4. Tyrus Thomas
5. Magnum Rolle
Finals
1. Chris Johnson assisted by Kentrell Gransberry
2. Dameon Mason assisted by Ben Voogd
3. Sylvia Fowles