On Saturday night, February 12 at 7:30 pm, the Andrews University Cardinals (men’s team) played a game against the Golden Eagles of Kent State University at Tuscarawas (KSUT) at the Andreasen Wellness Center. Although the final score was 65-79 (Cardinals - Golden Eagles), everyone brought their best to the court. It was one of the last games of the season, and the bleachers filled up quickly. Everyone grew more and more invested in the game as it progressed. It was, for the most part, a good-natured competition–the atmosphere buzzed, and cheering erupted for the home team whenever a basket was made. Cheers could also be heard for the opposite team when KSUT’s players made a good shot or dunk. The familiar chants of “defense” could be heard during particularly intense plays, shoes stomping against the bleachers and vibrations emanating through the floor. The players dashed from end to end, their sneakers squeaking against the shined floor in basketball-appropriate hues of neons, bright reds, and clean whites.
By the end of the first half, the score was a very close 27-29. A break was taken to honor the graduating seniors on the team. Applause broke out through the gym as the names were called: Jacob Jemison (senior, marketing) (number 25, forward/center), Andrew DeArbreu (senior, English) (number 4, guard), and Mylon Weathers (senior, criminal justice) (number 1, guard) were commended for their hard work throughout the years as their families gathered on the court for pictures.
Shortly after this ceremony, the second half began. Shouts flared up through the room when players from both teams missed a shot or made a foul–some excited, some upset. It seemed that the second half was following the trend started in the first half: Kent State was always ahead by just a few points.
The players seemed to play faster and harder in the second half. Player 0 of Kent State was going crazy with the dunks, but the Cardinals were doing their best to counter the moves. Each person’s hard work was displayed as the plays unfolded.
Halfway through the game, however, it seemed the odds were not in the Cardinals’ favor. The scores fluctuated, and the Cardinals would often catch up to the Golden Eagles only to fall behind again. With seven minutes left, the score became a close 51-53. Adam Cassell (junior, engineering) (number 24), a forward/center, proved his shooting skills by tying the score with six minutes left on the clock. He took two steady, successful shots during a free throw, countering Player 12 on the Kent State team, who also seemed to be a skilled shooter.
Mylon Weathers was another key player, making some impressive two- and three-point throws. He made a total of ten field goals. Meanwhile, Jesse Franklin (junior, wellness) made some great dunks, and Jacob Jemison held his own.
Unfortunately, Kent pulled ahead again after another free throw round. With two minutes left, Kent was 12 points ahead. Fouls grew frequent in the last minute, the Cardinals trying to buy time as the seconds dripped away. The teams alternated free throws, the players putting everything they had into the last twenty seconds.
And finally, the buzzer rang. The audience took one last look at the scoreboard. Kent State had won.
People reflected on the game as they filed off of the bleachers out of the gym. Hope Bollin (junior, pre-physical therapy) summed it up like this: “It was an entertaining game to watch since the score was fairly close throughout the game. Although we didn’t win, it was nice to see the players work as a team and it turned out to be a pretty good game for senior night. I’m glad I was able to attend.”
Kwesi Tuffor (junior, biology), adds to the comments: “It was an electrifying game with lots of lead switches between both teams. The Cardinals definitely played their hearts out, but unfortunately, the Golden Eagles seemed to want to win more.”
The Cardinals were disappointed, but they remained good-natured. And with one game left in the season, they decided to stay hopeful. Mylon Weathers (senior, criminal justice), who carried his share of the night’s plays, explains that his father worked with him a lot as a young boy. He says that it’s all a lot of repetition in practice.
Reflecting on this particular game, he says, “It was a surreal moment to be here playing one of my last two games. I came here yesterday [Friday] to just take it all in, memorize all the years I’ve been here, giving my hardest for Andrews–through the injuries, through the heartbreaks, through Covid, through everything. I’m not proud because we didn’t get the W, but I think I played hard and tried my best for this team. I just wanted to come out here and just honor God in the right way, play hard, and leave it out there on the floor.”
The Student Movement is the official student newspaper of Andrews University. Opinions expressed in the Student Movement are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors, Andrews University or the Seventh-day Adventist church.