Midnight turns dino-mite for hoops

For three of his years at Shadow Mountain High School, Jovan Blacksher Jr. traveled across Phoenix to attend Midnight Madness at Grand Canyon for a basketball environment that factored into his choice to play for GCU.

Blacksher was on the other side of the curtain Friday night at GCU Arena. The Lopes freshman guard was one of 29 GCU players who emerged through their video images being displayed on curtains and joined a season-launching party that was already in progress for thousands of fervent fans.

The men's and women's players popped the "GCU" letters on their jerseys with pride, matching the purple passion that students showed during the week. More than 200 Camp Elliott tents were pitched for as many as three nights around campus with televisions and air mattresses in anticipation of Midnight Madness.

"It was different coming out of the tunnel this time," said Blacksher, whose energy boosted his 5-foot-11 frame for a fan-fueling dunk. "I was nervous but I was excited. It brought more energy to me. The fans are very supportive and loud. It's amazing."

That volume level came with a warning, as the "Jurassic University" theme began by displaying a video message from GCU head coach Dan Majerle, who alerted fans, "Due to the nature of this evening's madness, we issue a warning that it will get loud — unbearably loud."

That bore out even in the 11 o'clock hour, as students danced with arms extended farther than the trio of Tyrannosaurus Rex scurrying onto the court. Majerle and women's basketball head coach Nicole Powell took to the court on theme-decorated golf carts with Majerle bouncing the back of his cart before joining the Havocs for more bouncing to the music. As Majerle participated in their side-to-side clap during "Tremor," Powell pumped up her fists and the crowd energy.

"The crowd was always going crazy like they always do," sophomore guard Taylor Caldwell said after emerging with two single digits in the air to show her No. 11. "I've been through so I knew what to expect but it was still crazy. "

As Friday turned to Saturday, the focus of the party shifted to basketball once the arena lights went out for a video that began with GCU President Brian Mueller in his office as the rumble of dinosaurs approached and he said, "Lopes find a way."

A basketball highlight reel led into player introductions, from sophomore Gabe McGlothan playing peekaboo with the curtain and junior Carlos Johnson flexing his biceps to sophomore Mariah Mitchell's joyous look and sophomore Laura Piera in sunglasses that she tossed to the crowd.

Johnson led a dunk line with a windmill slam while senior Oscar Frayer unleashed a 360-degree windmill and an in-air hand switch in his fourth and final GCU Midnight Madness.

"It's easy to take it for granted but I love it," Frayer said. "I can't say enough about it. This is home for me. I love this place. This was amazing. I just can't wait for the new-look Lopes."

The next time fans will see the teams in GCU Arena is when the men play there Oct. 30 and the women debut on Nov. 5.

They offered a tease with a skills relay in which Blacksher gave his team a win by sinking a 3-pointer just before junior Isiah Brown did.

The event featured GCU dancers, drumline and cheer as a reminder that the game environment goes beyond basketball to rank first in the nation last season for men's basketball attendance by percentage of arena capacity (102.4%). Midnight Madness was enough to bowl over freshmen in the stands and on the court in their second month of Lope life.

"It was crazy," freshman power forward Mae Bryant said. "I didn't know what it was going to be like. I was thinking, 'It's going to be OK,' but then when we came in and saw everyone, it was like, 'This is cool.' We got everybody dancing. I'm not going to lie: this was fun. The season is getting closer than we realize. It's going to be so much fun now."

Follow Paul Coro on Twitter: @paulcoro.

Grand Canyon University Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Jovan Blacksher Jr.

Isiah Brown

Mae Bryant

Taylor Caldwell

Oscar Frayer

Carlos Johnson

Gabe McGlothan

Mariah Mitchell

Laura Piera

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