On Assignment: Penn State men’s basketball team provides rush of excitement

With the time ticking away in Penn State men’s basketball game against No. 4-ranked Iowa, Shep Garner stepped to the line for a foul shot. As the ball left his hand, “love you!” echoed from the stands behind the home bench. Swish.

Garner’s mom, Kim, showed her excitment and love of her son with her loud enthusiasm from the stands for the entire game. After the final buzzer and the ball bouncing down the court past Garner, she joined the Penn State student section on the court congratulating the players. She embraced all of the players and was thrilled when she found her son. After the players jogged off the court to the locker room, and she caught her breath from all the excitement, she told me it was Garner’s grandmother’s birthday. His grandmother didn’t want him to spend any money on a gift, but to get the win. He warned his grandmother that the Hawkeyes were a tough team, but they’d try their best. They got it, 79-75.

It was an exciting evening for the fans in blue and white in the Bryce Jordan Center on Wednesday. Some of the highest energy I’ve seen all season from my baseline seat.

I found the night as a fun experience since it was the first time I got to photograph the student section, “Legion of Blue,” rushing the court. I’ve covered celebrations at high school sporting events, the Spikes and all types of Penn State sporting events. There is always the mad dash at the end of football games as the players celebrate with each other and coaches, but they run over to the student section — the students aren’t running to them.

I was prepared, wide angle lens on my camera, kneeling to go when the clock hit zero. Then I wasn’t sure where to turn. Our editor even joked with me that he saw me on TV turn in a circle looking around.

The players were shaking hands with Iowa, as the students started jumping in a mob at half court. I was tangled in a TV cable and bumping into folks as the players laughed seeing the students. The edge of the crowd started high-fiving and pulling the players in.

Phones started popping up in the air as everyone tried to get a selfie with their favorite player. Most had to stand on their tip toes to not cut off the 6-foot-plus players’ heads.

When the pep band started to play the alma mater, some joined arms and swayed to sing along. They circled coach Patrick Chambers as several Penn State police officers kept a safe area around him to be interviewed for the Big Ten Network.

Chambers waved to the fans as he walked off, and then it was over. According to the time stamps on my images: five minutes from the buzzer to employees trying to clear the court.

The best part was, it was all in good fun and harmless. From where I was I saw no shoving and pushing, just wholehearted excitement as Nittany Lion basketball is hopefully on an upswing.

This story was originally published February 18, 2016 at 7:49 PM with the headline "On Assignment: Penn State men’s basketball team provides rush of excitement."