New season kicked off

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cleveland State men's and women's basketball teams opened the 2012-13 season with Viking Madness in the Wolstein Center on Saturday night.

Viking Madness coincided with CSU Homecoming and started with a parade at 5:00 p.m. that ended at the Wolstein Center with a tailgate. Viking Madness began at 6:30 p.m. with both basketball teams entering on a Hummer and wearing Army fatigues.

After the introductions of both teams and brief statements from head coaches Gary Waters and Kate Peterson Abiad, it was time for basketball.

The three-point contest kicked off the festivities with four players from the men's team competing against four from the women's team. Tim Kamczyc got the men's squad off to a quick start, making 10 trifectas, but Shalonda Winton kept the women's team close with eight of her own.

The men maintained the lead throughout and took an eight point advantage into the final round. Tess Zufall did her best to bring the women back, making 10 three's in the final round, but in the end, the men's squad - Forbes, Tim Kamczyc, Raphael Veira and Josh Ivory - earned the win, 30-25.

A three-on-three drill followed next with the teams showcasing both offense and defense in a quick drill. That was followed by a skills contest where players from both teams showed off some different skills in a relay course up and down the court.

The final event of the night was the annual slam dunk contest, featuring Trey Lewis, Devon Long and champion Marlin Mason.

Both teams open the 2012-13 regular season with a doubleheader at the Wolstein Center on Nov. 9. The women's squad will host South Dakota at 5:00 p.m. with the men playing Grambling at 7:30 p.m.