Dark skies didn’t stop the Herd from storming Pullman Square Thursday evening, Sept. 28, for the second annual Hoops in Huntington event.

Sponsored by Marshall athletics, Hoops in Huntington featured the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams interacting with fans and competing with one another. This year, the Women’s Swimming & Diving team also joined the basketball players for the event.

Hoops in Huntington provided fans with the opportunity to meet Marshall’s athletes and to preview upcoming events during basketball season. 

Meanwhile, Kamdyn Curfman, a senior on the Men’s Basketball Team, said that it was good for the athletes themselves to see how much support they have. Acknowledging the amount of children in attendance, Curfman described the experience as a chance to “inspire another generation.” 

Hoops in Huntington kicked off at 6 p.m., opening with autograph tables for each team, knockout competitions for audience members and a dunk tank for the divers. Local vendors and hundreds of fans lined the streets.

Kim Caldwell, the Women’s Basketball head coach, had never been to the event before, and the number of fans who came shocked her. 

“It’s amazing,” she said. “I knew it was going to be an awesome event, but we’re still about an hour out, and it’s packed.” 

Caldwell went on to say that she hopes next year’s crowd will be even larger and require even more space.

At 7 p.m., the teams were introduced, and the excitement commenced. With an outdoor court spanning a block of Third Avenue, the teams went head-to-head in skills competitions and 3-point contests. 

Dan D’Antoni, Men’s Basketball head coach, said that Downtown Huntington is one of the few places that such an event can take place. He also said that it is a good opportunity to “enjoy the community and be a part of something that’s outside yourself.”