JOHNSTOWN – FM fans enjoyed Midnight Madness in the Raiders Den on Wednesday evening. The FM community was introduced to Reggie the Raider and they got their first look at the men’s and women’s 2014-15 basketball teams.
The FM faithful have seen his picture on the Raiders Den wall and on Raiders uniforms for the past few years, and they saw him at an early-season volleyball match, but they did not know his name. Now, thanks to the votes of 175 fans who participated in a poll conducted on this website, his name is known. It’s Reggie the Raider, or as his closer friends address him, just Reggie.
FMCC President Dustin Swanger was on hand to introduce Reggie to the enthusiastic crowd. After the event, Reggie told this reporter, “This was a super evening. I was thrilled that President Swanger could be here to greet me. I just wish that my cousin Blackbeard could have been here too – Cousin Blackie would have loved all this!”
Students and members of the two basketball teams enjoyed Hot Spot, Three-Point Shooting, and Dunking contests. Prior to those contests, the women’s and men’s teams played brief intrasquad scrimmages.
Photo: Freshman Silvia Vasquez-Rivera drives the lane
Head Coach Kevin Jones’ women’s team has a nice blend of returning and new players, with five returnees and five new players on the roster.
Head Coach Ed Collar’s men’s squad has six returnees and 14 newcomers.
Photo: Kadeem Riddick goes high to set the ball in the hoop
Both teams are currently involved in preseason scrimmages, and both teams will open their seasons on the road on November 1 and 2. The men’s team will play in the Herkimer CCC invitational tournament that weekend. The women’s squad will travel to Rochester to participate in Monroe Community College’s MCC Kickoff Tournament.
The two FM teams will have their home openers the following weekend when they host Tompkins Cortland CC (“TC3”) on Saturday, November 8. The women’s game will tip off at 1:00 p.m., and the men’s game will follow at 3:00.
C.J. Bonny, website writer
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