Some of the CAA’s best seniors took one their ACC counterparts in a showcase event Saturday. The game took place at Benedictine High School in Richmond. Turnout for the inaugural event was great. Jesse Pellot-Rosa, Calvin Roland and B.A. Walker represented VCU in the Commonwealth Collegiate Challenge. Walker had 23 points, Pellot-Rosa had 18 points and Roland finished with nine points.
There were more than 1,000 fans in attendance, which is pretty good for it being the first year. Former Benedictine player Vernon Hamilton of Clemson had 18 assists and numerous dunks. There were so many great dunks of the night, but I would have to give my “dunk of the night” to our own B.A. Walker, who did a behind-the-back pass resulting in a dunk. This was one of the many dunks that got fans to their feet.
The Score
ACC 141
CAA 136
There was a lot of black and gold in attendance, but it was definitely outnumbered by the maroon and orange fans of Virginia Tech. Prior to the game, they had a 32-second moment of silence for the victims of the school’s shooting. When Zabian Dowdell and Jamon Gordon were introduced, they each received standing ovations. It was nice to see players from rival teams hooking up to make nice plays for one another. The game was definitely entertaining. There were plenty of acrobatic, exciting plays from each side.
In the final five minutes the game remained tight. I thought this was going to be the juncture of the game where either side would try to compete hard for the win. When this didn’t happen, I felt disappointed and kind of let down. You would think that as recent college players they would still have that competitive edge when it got down to crunch time. This was not the case, and players from each side were jacking up ill-advised shots throughout the rest of the game. I just would have liked to have seen it become somewhat competitive in the last five minutes of the game.
Inside the numbers
CAA: Williamson 8, Neal 21, Walker 23, Abraham 16, Pellot-Rosa 18, Payton 10, Roland 9, Dahi 8, Vasylius 23. Totals: 57 6-6 136.
ACC: Dowdell 11, Reynolds 25, Hamilton 23, Terry 30, Gordon 22, Cain 30. Totals: 64 2-3 141. 3-point goals: Reynolds 5, Terry 2, Dowdell, Hamilton, Gordon, Cain.
In the end, the ACC prevailed, 141-136. After the game, each player was willing to sign autographs and talk with the fans. I definitely believe that this showcase was a big success, and they should continue to have this event in the future.