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Inside University Hall prior to tip-off. |
Confetti flittered. Balloons danced. Each meandering in their rhythmic fall. A slow motion tango from ceiling to floor. Adults adored. Children cheered. Each sharing in their historic fortune. A true bond formed between old and new.
There stood University Hall, receiving the fond farewell like an old friend moving to another town. All hoping for future visits, warm memories, and rocking chair stories. With that, Virginia basketball wrapped up 41 years of regular-season basketball Sunday, bidding a joyous adieu to an old building affectionately known to many as The Clam and to others as The House that Ralph Built.
Players, coaches, and managers from 7 decades of UVa basketball took part in the closing celebration. From video board montages and player introductions during timeouts to halftime speeches and the postgame ceremony, Virginia fans watched as piece after piece of Cavalier basketball joined together to salute University Hall. The Hoos will move across the street to the state-of-the-art John Paul Jones Arena next season.
“For me, there are a lot of memories here, but because I was part of the planning for the new arena and realize the need for that arena, while there are a lot of memories, there’s really no sadness,” said Terry Holland, who coached the Cavaliers for 16 years. “We’re looking ahead and thinking about what this new place is going to mean to the whole community, but certainly to the athletic program and to the basketball program in particular.”
Holland was among the hundreds who returned for the conclusion of the Last Ball in U-Hall. There were program members from the 1940s through 2006 in attendance, including all-time greats Barry Parkhill, Curtis Staples, “Wonderful” Wally Walker, Bryant Stith, and Ralph Sampson. Each of those players was honored during the game, either during timeouts or the halftime ceremony.
At intermission, Staples spoke of the best fans in the ACC and Sampson, as has always been his style, deflected the attention to someone else: his family, coaches, and teammates. The 3-time National Player of the Year invited all of those who played and coached during his time down to the floor, drawing an appreciative ovation from the Wahoo faithful. He also declined to say the final remarks of the celebration, pulling Holland back to the microphone for the last word.
It wasn’t surprising coming from Sampson, who spoke of camaraderie prior to the game.
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Ralph Sampson |
“There’s a lot of memories, I don’t really pinpoint one. I think overall, as I reflect back, it’s the camaraderie with not only the basketball players but football players, track, soccer, baseball,” Sampson said. “I think everybody that ever played a sport at Virginia has once experienced University Hall. I talked to people the last number of weeks who just came through the building and were here while we were playing or practicing or they participated or did something in athletics here. I think looking back after these number of years it is legendary that you have people you know now that have the same type of ties you have with this one building.”
The harmonious feelings of family carried throughout the building as Virginia basketball, past and present, joined for an afternoon of celebration. And though the Cavaliers lost to Maryland along the way, nothing seemed to detract from the occasion.
In the postgame ceremony, President John Casteen and Athletic Director Craig Littlepage spoke glowingly of days gone by and days yet to come. Current coach Dave Leitao talked of glorious things ahead and a greater sense of union between the past, present, and future of the program. His voice carried great pride in referencing not just University Hall, but Memorial Gym and Buzzy Wilkinson, and all those who played all those games before Sunday’s contest.
“This group before you, I can honestly tell you, has worked as hard as any group I’ve ever been around,” Leitao said of the current team.
He also said in reference to the former players and fans: “I wanted to win for you and for our players more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life.”
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Dave Leitao held up the last ball prior to carrying it out of University Hall on Sunday. |
The celebration continued with the passing of the last ball out of University Hall. Parkhill dished off to Sampson, who twice dunked the ball to start the final phase of the ceremony. From there, the ball was passed through a human chain made up of all the former players, coaches, managers, and program members in attendance. It traveled around the floor, up the stairs, and into Leitao’s hands. The coach held it up for all to see and then carried the ball out the door until the fall. The same ball will be presented in the John Paul Jones Arena next season.
While the final moments may have been tinged with sadness, the day as a whole was one of exuberance and joy, much like a great big family gathering to share in the laughter and celebration of reunion. And to talk about what the future may hold.
“I’m hoping the old building, the ex players, the current players, and the future players will now bridge a gap that I think needs to be bridged into a new facility coming next year that will bring Virginia to the national prominence that it needs to be at,” Sampson said.
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