The wait has ended … for now.
The next 20 days? Well, that should be fun.
Rutgers basketball fans poured into Jersey Mike’s Arena on Thursday hoping to see a glimpse of their future. It took all of five minutes for freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper to give it to them, turning this preseason scrimmage against St. John’s into an even bigger celebration of potential — and anticipation.
“I felt the energy,” newcomer Zach Martini, a graduate school transfer from Princeton, said. “A couple of guys were talking to each other on the bench like it’s only half capacity so I can’t wait to see what it’s like against Wagner.”
The sequence that will stick in the minds of Rutgers fans for the next 20 days until the final score actually matters came when Harper skipped an inbounds pass to Bailey, who hammered down a dunk, soaring through the air from just below the foul line. On the other end of the court, Harper then stole the ball away Deivon Smith and got open for a 3-pointer that fell through the net with the fans already on their feet.
The five-point swing came as part of a 22-point run that invigorated the Rutgers fans who came to Piscataway with what could be their only chance to see the dreams that have lived in their minds since the two highly touted recruits signed on the dotted line.
Harper and Bailey, who arrived as the No. 2- and 3-ranked prospects in the country, combined for 45 points and reinvigorated fans who cringed through offensive ineptitude a season ago.
St. John’s pulled away in the final minutes with back-to-back steals to seal a 91-85 win, but Rutgers fans got what they came to see: An exciting team with big potential. What becomes of this season will be decided months from now and the buzz won’t die down until then.Before tipoff, the excitement was palpable.
With tickets sold out for every home game, fans made the most of their opportunity to catch the buzz, gobbling up tickets for the exhibition.
“I usually go to one game a year, but that’s going to be hard this year,” said John McCleary, a South Amboy resident, who jumped at his opportunity to scoop up a $10 ticket.
At Scarlet Fever, the fan favorite merchandise store in New Brunswick, a line formed out the door for an opportunity to purchase shirts with Bailey and Harper standing side by side for a cover shoot for Slam Magazine. Even St. John’s fans who showed up to catch the hype for their second season with coach Rick Pitino felt what was shaping up to be a preseason game unlike anything they’ve seen.
“I’ve never seen this kind of buzz for a scrimmage. That tells you all you need to know really,” said St. John’s graduate Matt Puzio of Leonardo.
Scouts from NBA teams and the general manager of the Toronto Raptors sat court side along with Gov. Phil Murphy. There were 40 credentials distributed to media members, about 30 more than Rutgers’ first home game against Boston University. The announced attendance: 4,240.
“You could see it. You can feel it everywhere,” Rutgers graduate Mike Smith, who walked in with a “Trapezoid of Terror” sign said about the team’s buzz. “Even in the early 2000s, you couldn’t find a Rutgers shirt in the store. I teach at East Brunswick High School. I teach history, and my kids see my Rutgers magnets on the board, and they know Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper. It’s unbelievable to me.”
Rutgers fans who have watched the Scarlet Knights have cautious optimism. John Hendricks has been coming to watch the Scarlet Knights for 50 years with his son, Sean, by his side for about 40 of them.
“It’s going to be different,” John Hendricks said.
Rutgers has started the season ranked in The Associated Press two other times — coming off their final four appearance for the 1976-1977 season and again in 2020-2021 when Rutgers ended its 30-year drought from the NCAA Tournament. Rutgers fans will try to ride the momentum of its preseason expectations with a revamped roster featuring its freshmen headliners and three newcomers who arrived as transfers.
“Sometimes you have exams during the week, and it’s not so fun, but you find out Rutgers men’s basketball plays on a Thursday night against another Big Ten program…It’s just a lot of fun and being a part of this school and the atmosphere is not like anything else on the East Coast. I love it. I love it,” said Brian Allen, a Rutgers junior who lined the first row bleachers behind the basket with his friends.
For students like Allen and Isaac Holt, Thursday was the first of what they hope will be a winter they remember forever.
“I’m super excited,” Holt said. “It’s a great way to end my last year at Rutgers. I can’t wait to see these boys going ahead and getting on a roll. It’s going to be great. I can’t wait to see it.”
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Patrick Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com.
