A good time was had by all at Trojan Arena!

The games featured several noteworthy highlights ... Jack Rice almost won the Teddy Bear Toss! Photo spread of Trojan fans and PLAS faculty enjoys Christmas dinner.

A Teddy Bear Toss (Jack Rice finished second!), a Triple- Double, two memorable alleyoop dunks and a brief “rain of 3-point shots” … were the highlights of yesterday’s Troy University basketball doubleheader at Trojan Arena.

I also had fun taking photos of the crowd (which was 2,450 people - a pretty good figure on a day when most TROY student are already home for Holiday break.)

Grandpa Darrin Johnson attended the games with his family, including grandson James Taylor, who was surely making his Trojan fan debut.

Darrin Johnson didn’t know I took this photo of him giving James his in-game refreshments.

Blakeley Smith, 10 and her sister Baylor, 7, were dressed perfectly for yesterday’s doubleheader. The Smith sisters attend Troy Elementary School.

Our neighbors and friends Jon and Michelle Adams are long-time Trojan supporters. A special thanks to Michelle for giving Carrie a beautiful Christmas present made by Adams Glass.

On the court, the Trojans’ Women Team cruised past Memphis in a game between two universities who used to have “State” in their names.

The Men won by 35 over Middle Georgia State in a game where all 14 Trojans got significant court time and 13 players scored points.

*** (Thank you for sharing Troy Citizen content with others! More fan photos below.) ***

The headline of the Women’s game was Shaulana Wagner becoming the first Troy women’s basketball player to secure a triple-double in D-I history with 12 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds.

“We definitely played the best we have all season long,” said Coach Chanda Rigby. “… the first-ever triple-double in program history - that’s just big. I’m really proud of her. When we were recruiting her, I knew she was going to be very special. With how she plays, it takes a little bit of time to get a rhythm, and she’s found it. And it’s amazing to see.”

Shaulana Wagner made Lady Trojan basketball history Saturday.

The women had five players score in double figures and controlled the game almost all the way through. When Memphis would go on a run and cut the lead to six or seven, the Lady Trojans always answered with a similar run and ended up winning 85-67, redeeming a loss to the Tigers last season.

The win evens the Lady Trojans record to 5-5.

Quick Editorial Observation: This was the first time I’d watched Coach Rigby’s team this season. While her program has become one of the strongest in Troy athletics with multiple 20-win seasons and NCAA bids, it looked like this might be a rebuilding year for her squad.

However, based on this performance and the talent I saw on the court, I wouldn’t write this team off yet.

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The men were supposed to blow out Middle Georgia State, an NAIA team from Macon, which entered the contest with a 7-4 record. Troy did what it was supposed to do, outscoring the visitors 27-4 in the game’s first 10 minutes.

All 14 Troy players who dressed saw significant action with 13 of the 14 players scoring points, including walk-on Jackson Porch who hit three field goals - the first of his Trojan career.

Jackson Porch had a memorable day as a Trojan. (Troy Sports Photography).

These plays are why you want to go to a Troy basketball game …

I sat in the General Admission section with my 8-year-old son Jack but made a few “game notes” - including these highlights:

- The low-point of the stat line was the Trojans made only 4-of-28 three-point shots.

However, three of these treys occurred on consecutive offensive possessions early in the first half.

After one timeout, Coach Cross substituted five players at once. The Trojans’ “second team” players promptly scorched the nets from long range.

In a one-minute span, freshman guard Cooper Campbell, Kerrington Kiel and Victor Valdes produced string music from Three Point Land, causing the P.A. announcer to proclaim “It’s raining threes in Trojan Arena.”

(For a minute, I thought I was back in early 1992 covering Troy’s 258-141 victory over Devry when Coach Maestri’s sharp shooters made 51 (!) three-pointers in 40 minutes.)

Alas, Troy missed all but one of its other three-point shots in the game. (Aside: If Troy can shoot more consistently from long range, this team has a good chance to compete for a Sun Belt Conference title).

Alleyoop Slams …

Sophomore Myles Rigsby, one of the most athletic Trojans of recent decades, had the highlight-reel play of the day with an emphatic slam dunk on a 30-foot alleyoop pass from a teammate.

But that might not have been the game’s most impressive alleyoop dunk.

At another point in the first half, with just one second left on the shot clock, Troy called an in-bounds play from under its basket.

Sometimes plays actually work just like coaches draw them up …

Jerrell Bellamy juked a defender, weaved under the basket, received a perfect alleyoop pass from his teammate and dunked the ball. The play was reviewed on the jumbo video screen to see if the stuff happened before the red light at the top of the backboard went off - and, as the ref told the crowd, “the basket is good.”

Jack Rice almost wins Teddy Bear Toss …

The high point of both games for the Rices was the halftime “Teddy Bear Toss.”

Since I’d published a story on all the clever promotions Troy’s Sports Marketing staff keeps coming up with, I told Jack to find several of his old stuffed animals and bring them to the game.

We brought seven, three of which we donated to Toys for Tots (getting us three free tickets to the Dec. 21st game.)

The other four were used by Jack and three of his young friends, who successfully moved down to court-side seats and, when given the go-ahead, chunked their stuffed animals towards a box that had been set up at center court.

Jack - the QB of his flag tag team this year - has been working on his throwing and it paid off as his 25-yard throw landed 1 foot from the box!

At least 100 other Teddy Bears came sailing out of the crowd, but nobody’s stuffed animal got closer to the target than Jack’s blue stuffed animal.

… Until, that is, the final two seconds of the competition when what appeared to be a man in his 40s threw a pink stuffed animal from the opposite section fo the bleachers … and dang if this long-distance “Hail Mary” effort didn’t end up right next to the box.

In the Teddy Bear Throwing Competition, Jack was nipped at the buzzer!

As I later told Jack, second place out of 100 throws is an impressive accomplishment. I also told him he was the winner in the children’s competition (and I worked this highlight into my game story).

The real winner, of course, was Toys for Tots, which will get to distribute all of the Teddy Bears to underprivileged children.

As an aside, I continue to be impressed by all the great promotions Troy Sports Marketing comes up with. I’ve long noted that children particularly enjoy attending Troy basketball games.

One suggestion: Since the Teddy Bear Toss is so popular, why not bring back the Paper Airplane Competition that was always popular with fans back in the Sartain Hall days?

MORE TROJAN ARENA FAN PHOTOS …

Abby Taylor, Terri Adams and Savannah Pham pull for the Trojans.

Chloe Schobert and Hanna Cooper - Congrats, you made the on-line Troy Citizen!

I didn’t get this young fan’s name, but I was struck by the large number of children who gather by the tunnel going to the team locker rooms and give high-fives to the players as they enter or exit the court.

Lecrecia Harris warmed the hearts and bellies of Jack and Bill Rice by serving us hot chocolate (only $2) from the main concession stand.

The game featured several groups (and high school basketball teams) from outside of Troy, including these fans from Enterprise - Jim McDaniel, Colton McDaniel, John David Hogan and Graham Takacs.

Zay Dyer, No. 5, gets a high-five from fans after the game. Zay, a forward, was one of three Lady Trojans with 16 points in the game.

Ashley Baez, No. 2, also had 16 points and made 3 steals. Ashley was the fastest and quickest player I saw on the floor yesterday and quickly became Jack’s favorite player.

More Great Game Promotions Tuesday…

Troy returns to action at home Tuesday, December 17th at 6 p.m. with a game against LaGrange College.

Game Sponsor: Rike’s Tacos; Theme: Two Dollar Tuesday / Taco Tuesday.

Ticket Specials / Concession Deals: To celebrate Two Dollar Tuesday, a $2 general admission ticket special will be available at the door.

• The Two Dollar Tuesday deal includes $2 soft drinks and Busch Light.

• Concessions will include burritos for Taco Tuesday.

Pregame Promos: In collaboration with Toys for Tots, Troy athletics continues its toy collection before tipoff. If fans bring a toy to donate, they will receive a complimentary ticket for the men’s basketball game on Dec. 21 at 1 p.m.

Halftime Promos: The halftime entertainment welcomes back SheBang Dance Studio, who will do a live performance at center court.

Giveaways: Thanks to Rike’s Tacos, the first 500 fans in attendance will receive a free coupon.

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PLAS Faculty Christmas Dinner held at Griffith home …

The PLAS faculty family enjoyed a Christmas dinner at the home of Amber and Jeffrey Griffith on December 12th.

Faculty and staff at Pike Liberal Arts School enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship Thursday night December 12th at the school’s Christmas Party.

Faculty members thanked Head of School Eric Burkett who, after a 6/1/2 year tenure at the school, is moving across town to take an administrative position with Troy University.

“I can’t begin to describe how phenomenal this staff is, each one I love,” said Burkett in another Facebook post. (“We have) a great big family (at PLAS). I have been blessed to spend the last 6 and a half years with you, and I will truly miss you all. Thank you to each of you for making my time on The Hill so wonderful.

“Special thanks to Amber Griffith and Jeffrey Griffith for opening your home to us tonight. I love you all big.”

The school’s PTO provided the meat, which Russ Donald prepared and grilled. Misty Floyd prepared the side dishes at the festive event.

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