Elite Eight draws fans to WMass

By Jeanette DeForge

03/28/2008- The Republican

SPRINGFIELD - After traveling 19 hours on a crowded bus from Augusta, Ga., Christian Batista got his wish - his college basketball team won its first game in double overtime yesterday.

ASU won, 106-104.

Originally from Lawrence, Batista's family moved to Georgia where he is now studying accounting at Augusta State University. When the team made the NCAA Division II men's basketball Elite Eight tournament, he took the trip north to watch it play the University of Central Oklahoma.
 
"It's a lot of fun to come home. I can't get enough of it. I just want to stay one more day," said Batista, a freshman.

The four-day tournament has attracted fans from across the country to the MassMutual Center. Many parents of players flew, but students often boarded buses for a long ride.

"I love our school, and I know some guys on the team. It is an opportunity of a lifetime," said Bryan C. Waller, a senior history major from Augusta who painted his face blue for his team.

For those who didn't have as many fans, tournament organizers invited 22 grade four classes from Western Massachusetts to attend the less-busy day games. Each was assigned a team, studied their region and made posters, said Marissa S. Tomalonis, senior marketing manager for the MassMutual Center.

Bands from Holyoke and Minnechaug high schools subbed in as pep bands yesterday, she said.

There will be no need to recruit fans since overall ticket sales have been higher than last year. About 4,800 tickets have already been sold for the final Saturday game, just 100 less than last year's total, she said.

A nine-hour flight from North Pole, Alaska, did not deter Rob L. Holt from attending the game with his wife and daughter, Sarah M. Arts. The family was cheering on Arts' husband, Carl Arts, a forward for University of Alaska Anchorage.

The family will stay the week to sightsee and watch games.

"There is so much history here. This is the first time we have been in Massachusetts, and we plan to visit Yankee Candle and the Dr. Seuss house and, of course, the Basketball Hall of Fame," Holt said.

Finding fans wasn't a problem for the Bentley College team since the group had to travel about 90 minutes to Springfield, said Michael C. Quinn, a team guard from Montville, Conn.

The sophomore who is studying business said a dozen buses of fans were expected for their first game yesterday evening.

At Theodore's Restaurant and Bar, banners supporting Winona State University were hung to welcome fans who discovered the pub three years ago. Employees will host a pep rally, and this year Keith E. Weppler, manager and owner, said he contacted the university bookstore and bought temporary tattoos and shirts to welcome the Minnesota fans.

"This is the third year we have been coming here, we meet here, we eat dinner here, the team eats dinner here," said Walton S. Madland, of Florida.

Among the loyal fans are alumni from the class of 1986 who flew in from multiple states for the tournament. The group said they would be happy to return to Springfield next year.