Anderson Arena Memories - Volume 12
Soler's dunk, Almanson's shot bring the house down
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (BGSU Athletic Communications)
7/28/2010 11:21:43 AM
A dunk by Mawel Soler shattered the backboard in pregame warmups prior to a 2005 game vs. Miami
Throughout the 2010-11 season, the BGSU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics will be celebrating the storied history of venerable Anderson Arena, as we are ‘Closing the Doors of the House That Roars’ and preparing for the opening of the Stroh Center in the fall of 2011.
To share your favorite memory of Anderson Arena, to see the timeline of events or to keep up with the latest Stroh Center happenings, Click Here. We will be posting some of your fondest memories of Anderson here at BGSUFalcons.com in the coming weeks and months.
On February 27, 2005, the Falcons beat Miami, 57-56, as Josh Almanson hit a jumper in the final seconds. That alone would make for an exciting afternoon at Anderson Arena. But, much, much more had transpired at ‘The House That Roars’ on that Sunday ...
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A FEW LINKS
BGSU 57, Miami 56 - HTML boxscore
BGSU 57, Miami 56 - PDF boxscore
Associated Press Game Recap
BGSUFalcons.com Postgame Notes
TV Broadcast of BG-Miami Game Cancelled
BGSUFalcons.com Postgame Quotes
Submit your favorite Anderson Arena memories
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KYLE (former BGSU men’s basketball team manager)
I have a lot of memories of Anderson Arena. Throughout my college tenure I was a team manager for the men’s basketball team from the 2004-2005 season to the 2007-2008 season. We won numerous games, a handful at the buzzer! We also endured many funny times during practices as well as games that I will cherish forever. Despite having all of these Anderson Arena memories, one sticks out the most.
Josh Almanson hit the winning shot with just 6 seconds left
In 2005, BG’s men’s basketball team hosted Miami (OH). Around 45 minutes prior to tip off, the officials were not on the floor yet so the teams were getting their dunks in during warmups. As a manager, I always stood underneath the basket and fetched loose balls as well as just tried to get the guys going a little bit. While standing under the rim, junior and recent incoming transfer Mawel Soler got the ball and went up for what seemed to be a harmless jam. What happened next I never would have imagined! Mawel went up and dunked the ball, without pulling down on the rim or hanging on the rim. As Mawel came down.......the backboard did as well!
The backboard shattered and began to rain miniscule pieces of glass onto Soler, the court, and myself! One would think it would take an amazingly hard dunk to break the backboard, but I’m not sure that the next shot to hit the rim wouldn’t have had the same effect. The aftermath of the dunk as many Falcon fans may remember was the previously televised game was no longer covered by FSN Ohio. The game was delayed 45 minutes to an hour and the network decided they could not wait that long! The backboard was brought down to the floor and laid in an old rafter banner. Somewhere from the depths of Anderson Arena arose a "new" old backboard and the Anderson Arena staff put that backboard on the pole, attached the pole to the ground as well as the wire security restraints that connected to the corners of the backboard from the ceiling of Anderson Arena. The old backboard was laid outside the back doors to the arena where many Falcon faithful took their piece of Anderson Arena memorabilia. After the game was over, I myself went outside and got a piece of it for myself, even though I had received plenty of it in my hair!
photo courtesy Grant Cummings
By the time the game had started, a large and loud crowd had gathered in Anderson Arena. BG went towards the new basket in the first half, thank goodness! The rim, in my opinion wasn’t straight and seemed extremely tight, who knows how old it was and when it had last been used? Shots from afar did not make their way into the basket in the first half, only layups and dunks. One memorable dunk by local Josh Almanson sprang the wire security restraint from the corner of the backboard and sent it swinging into the upper section of Anderson Arena. The crew again had to fix the backboard before play could continue. The Falcons went into the half down 8. The second half was much better than the first and became a very interesting came in the last few minutes. The Falcons were down by 1 with less than a minute to go when senior John Reimold took a shot and missed. BG fouled a Miami player who missed the first free-throw of a one-and-one opportunity. Reimold pulled down the rebound which led to a fade away jumper by Almanson that went in with six seconds to go, putting the Falcons up by one! Miami turned the ball over and the Falcons escaped the day with a win against a very good Miami team.
photo courtesy Grant Cummings
I remember being in the locker room after the game with the players as the celebrated. JD Campbell, BG’s sports information director, came and got Josh Almanson to meet with the press. Following Josh’s time with the press, still in his uniform, Josh went into the weight room across the hall from the locker room and had a workout. I always thought that was a testament to Josh’s work ethic.
Finally, my parents were at home in southern Ohio, tuned into FSN waiting on the game, taping it for me to watch when I came home the following week for spring break. I called my dad following Mawel’s dunk and told him "Dad, Soler just dunked in warm-ups and shattered the backboard on my head!" My dad, of course worried asked, " Are you all right?" After assuring my father that I was fine, I told him I doubted that the game would be televised. Thankfully, my dad stayed tuned to FSN continued to record the channel. After the game my dad made me aware that FSN had been recording a story to show during the game and over the broadcaster’s shoulder, FSN had caught Mawel Soler flying through the air and breaking the backboard! The cameraman zoomed in on the backboard, myself, and Mawel for maybe ten seconds before they came on air and said they would not be covering the game.
I still have the tape that I can look back on and laugh. I look forward to sharing this memory with my children to show them Anderson Arena and the day that the backboard shattered in Bowling Green!
photo courtesy Grant Cummings
TERRY
In 2005, I attended my first BGSU basketball game. The Falcons were set to play Miami and I was running very late. I expected to have missed a good portion of the game, and even contemplated just going home and making it to the next one. When I walked into the arena, I realized I hadn’t missed a minute of regulation.
Stepping through the doors, I saw the shattered remains of the backboard on the Anderson Arena floor, and the athletic facilities staff working feverishly to clean up the mess and get the game going.
The Falcons went on to beat Miami that day on a last-second shot, and I was hooked on BGSU basketball. Not only did I get to see the Falcons win, I got to gloat to my friends who attended Miami. It was a fantastic way to begin my life as a BGSU Falcon athletics fan.
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We’d love to hear about your favorite memories of Anderson Arena. Click here to share them with us, and perhaps you will see your own recollections of ‘The House That Roars’ right here at BGSUFalcons.com in the not-too-very-distant future. Roll Along!
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