Bleu Team ekes out a win against White Team in fourth annual match-up

Lavonte Lucas\Courtbouillon
Dillard University’s Bleu Team celebrates its win Sept. 27 in Dent Hall.

NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 5, 2018) – University President Walter Kimbrough and his White Team defeated Athletic Director Kiki Barnes and the Bleu Team at the Fourth Annual Bleu and White Game on Sept. 27 in Dent Hall.

The event, which debuts the men’s basketball season, saw the White Team win with a score of 99-96, tying the series 2-2. The season will officially begin Thursday, Oct. 25, with a men’s game against Loyola University at 7 p.m. in Dent Hall.

The Bleu and White game has become a Bleu Devil tradition in which the men’s basketball team divides into two teams, with the Bleu Team coached by Barnes and the White Team led by Kimbrough.

Although the Bleu Team had the leading scorer Jeron Rogers, a transfer from Detroit, it was unsuccessful in its quest to defeat the reigning champions. Rogers led both teams with 33 points.

Of the game, Rogers said, “I was just hooping and having fun.”

This year’s White Team was stacked with the four returning players: seniors Rick Curry and Jesse Ward, and juniors Xavian McKay and Jamerson Robert.

Kimbrough called the activity a “fun game” every year.

“This year my team was mostly of guys who were here last year, but they had a chance to really show what they could do. Plus they knew how important this game was, and I think that was the difference.”

At half-time, the score was 49-47, with the Bleu Team up by two points. With three minutes left in the second half, the teams had tied at 91 points. White Team member Jeffrey Drake-Todd sank a three-pointer to secure the lead for the White Team to take the lead. With seconds left in the half, the teams tied at 96.

Bleu Team member Martavious Wilson was fouled and had a chance to make the score 98-96, but missed his two free-throw attempts. The final moments of this game were so intense that Barnes called a timeout with 1.6 seconds left in the half, hoping to make a game-changing play, to no avail.

Of the upcoming season, returning player Xavian McKay said, “I believe this team will do just as well if not better than last year’s team.”