I absorbed three things from Friday’s Red and Blue Showcase at McKale Center: (1) power forward Trey Townsend is going to be an impact player, an improvement from Keshad Johnson; (2) wing shooter Anthony Dell’Orso is a terrific addition, the equivalent of a 4-star recruit but one who has already started 58 college basketball games; (3) the Red and Blue Showcase may be exhausting its popularity.
The crowd, probably about 9,000, was mostly listless and uninspired. Even emcee Richard Jefferson asked, “Why are you so quiet?’’
Arizona is one of the few college basketball programs to continue to operate a preseason scrimmage. It probably generated close to $250,000 in ticket sales Friday, but in the 2020s, there’s not much enthusiasm for a dunk contest, a 3-point shooting contest and a 20-minute scrimmage.
This entry is part of longtime Star columnist Greg Hansen's weekly notebook. Looking for more? Find updates and Greg's archive at Tucson.com/Hansen.
UA coach Tommy Lloyd uses the Red and Blue Showcase as a recruiting weapon, which has endless value. No one seemed to enjoy the evening more than Lloyd. The night’s most entertaining moment was a video of Lloyd dancing at the Gentle Ben’s post-game party with his hat on backwards, swigging from a bottle of beer while listening to his beloved Beastie Boys music.
Arizona forward Trey Townsend (4) has a moment after driving to the basket for a dunk through the red defense and guard KJ Lewis (5) in the Wildcats’ annual Red-Blue Showcase Friday in Tucson.
No other Pac-12 team attempted an admission-charged public scrimmage over the last 10 or 15 years. And in the Big 12, preseason engagements with men’s basketball programs are limited. Only Kansas, with its wildly successful “Late Night at the Phog’’ — sold out, entering its 40th consecutive year — reflects a community’s love for college basketball.
Iowa State, which probably has the Big 12’s second most feared road venue at Hilton Coliseum, doesn’t have a public scrimmage in the preseason. Others? Powerhouse Baylor participates in the Texas Tipoff Tour, where it holds free scrimmages in Dallas, Houston and Tyler, Texas.
Kansas State traveled 225 miles to Dodge City, Kansas, for a KSU Basketball Showcase this weekend. Yes, Fort Dodge. And BYU plays a Blue and White game — Marriott Madness — on this Wednesday, with no admission charge.
Arizona charged as much as $32 a ticket on Friday.
ASU’s preseason basketball exhibition is to be played at Duke’s Cameron Indoor Stadium, of all places, on Oct. 27. It is touted as a Bobby Hurley Homecoming. ASU is trying to sell two $25,000 packages to fans to shadow Hurley on his return to his alma mater as the Blue Devils and Sun Devils will play a 40-minute scrimmage for charity.
Arizona guard Anthony Dell’Orso (3) beats forward Henri Veesaar (13) to the basket for a score in the UA men’s basketball program’s annual Red-Blue Showcase Friday at McKale Center.
The history of Arizona’s Red and Blue Showcase goes back 40 years. When Lute Olson’s Wildcats rose to power in the mid-1980s, the UA charged $3 per ticket for a 1987 scrimmage in mid-November. It was to be the return of Steve Kerr from a knee injury, the year Arizona rose to No. 1 and reached the Final Four. A crowd of 8,860 attended.
A year later, with Sean Elliott returning for a senior year, Arizona sold out the Red-Blue Game for the first time, 14,500, on a Saturday evening at McKale. Over the next 30 years, the game was routinely sold out, or close. Only in the last few years has it been difficult to exceed 10,000 attendance.
But it could be worse. Utah will stage an exhibition game Oct. 29 against Colorado State-Pueblo. To entice students to attend, the Utes will sell hot dogs for $2. That’s better than a 225-mile trip to Dodge City, Kansas.
Takes special person to do what Dino Babers did for Arizona football last week | Greg Hansen's NotebookFrom Greg Hansen's Notebook: Arizona offensive coordinator Dino Babers’ decision to move aside and let 35-year-old Arizona assistant football coach Matt Adkins call plays for the Wildcats doesn’t come as much of a surprise. It is history repeating itself.
From Greg Hansen's Notebook: Quick hits including how Arizona baseball alumni Chase Davis, Kiko Romero, Nik McClaughry did in their first year of minor league baseball, Salpointe's big-time hall of fame class, the curious firing of D-backs pitching coach Brent Strom and more.
From Greg Hansen's Notebook: The UA announced last week its Oct. 19 homecoming football game against Colorado is a sellout. As far as I could research, not even an ASU-Arizona Territorial Cup game has been sold out more than a few days before kickoff.
From Greg Hansen's Notebook: In February 1985, Pete Rose was offered $3,000 to participate in Arizona Wildcat's annual All-Pro Alumni baseball game. Rose, 44, turned down the money, played and managed and gave fans on the UA campus a show.
Photos: Arizona men's basketball's 2024-25 Red-Blue Showcase
Nearly every eye in the arena is on Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5) as he flies to the hoop on one of his attempts in the final of the slam dunk contest at the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard Caleb Love (1) holds his pose under the McKale Center lights and stares into the Zona Zoo student section after his final shot sank for the win in the three-point contest in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona forward Carter Bryant (9) cranks back on one of his final attempts in the slam dunk completion in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024. Bryant was judged the winner on the night.
Arizona’s athletic director Desireé Reed-Francois, serving as a guest coach, reacts as the Adaptive Athletics wheelchair basketball scrimmage is decided with a buzzer beater at the annual Red-Blue Showcase in Tucson on Oct. 4, 2024.
Arizona guard Caleb Love (1) rises up over Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) for a dunk to score in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) and center Emmanuel Stephen (34) fight for a rebound in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard Caleb Love (1) threads the needle with a pass into the paint in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5) eyes his target finishing off a Red fast break with a dunk in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5), left, and forward Henri Veesaar (13) tie up guard Conrad Martinez (55) trying to get into the lane in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard Conrad Martinez leaps above the Blue bench to save a ball headed out of bounds in the annual Red-Blue Showcase in Tucson on Oct. 4, 2024.
Arizona guard Conrad Martinez (55) absorbs the impact from guard Jaden Bradley (0) driving into the lane in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024. Martinez was called for a foul on the collision.
Arizona forward Trey Townsend (4) looks for room to maneuver through forward Henri Veesaar (13) in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona center Emmanuel Stephen (34) attempts to stop a put-back from forward Carter Bryant (9) in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard Anthony Dell'Orso (3) beats forward Henri Veesaar (13) to the basket for a score in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5) comes in to block a short range shot from forward Carter Bryant (9) in the Wildcats’ annual Red-Blue Showcase on Oct. 4.
Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5) chats with Claire D’Amore after he ended up in the front row of seats following an attempt in the dunk contest during run up to the night’s scrimmage in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard Anthony Dell'Orso (3) takes aim, participating in the three-point contest in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) and center Emmanuel Stephen (34) jostle in the battle for the ball in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona center Emmanuel Stephen (34), left, and guard Jaden Bradley (0) tie up forward Tobe Awaka (30) looking for an outlet after securing the defensive rebound in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona forward Trey Townsend (4) has a moment after driving to the basket for a dunk through the red defense and guard KJ Lewis (5) in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona forward Henri Veesaar (13) gets a handful of forward Tobe Awaka (30) but isn’t called for a foul on a block in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona forward Henri Veesaar (13), left, and center Emmanuel Stephen (34) squeeze out forward Trey Townsend (4) for a loose ball in the annual Red-Blue Showcase in Tucson on Oct. 4, 2024.
Arizona alums Richard Jefferson, left, and Channing Frye joke around during at timeout while emceeing in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona forward Tobe Awaka (30) arrives too late to get to the rebound pulled down by Arizona forward Henri Veesaar (13) in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona forward Carter Bryant (9) throws down a big jam in the finals of the night’s slam dunk contest in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard KJ Lewis (5) stretches for the basket during the final round of the slam dunk competition during the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard Conrad Martinez (55) and pressures guard Jaden Bradley (0) who’s looking for the basket in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Corey Williams, left, and Richard Jefferson react to a Wildcat effort while helping judge the slam dunk competition in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona center Emmanuel Stephen (34) acknowledges the crowd as he introduced onto the court for the start of the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona guard Addison Arnold (2) yells his way onto the McKale Center floor for his introduction in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October 4, 2024.
Arizona head coach Tommy Lloyd thanks the McKale Center crowd for coming out to the UA men’s basketball program’s annual Red-Blue Showcase Friday in Tucson.
Arizona center Emmanuel Stephen (34) claws away a shot from Arizona guard Anthony Dell'Orso (3) in the annual Red-Blue Showcase, Tucson, Ariz., October , 2024.
