q: What do Anteaters do on Friday nights” a: Go a little crazy

with ... MIDNIGHT MAGIC!

Steve Virgen

BREN EVENTS CENTER -- UC Irvine’s Midnight Magic, its kick-off

celebration of its men’s and women’s basketball teams, could be best

described by the feelings of junior Adam Parada and freshman Mike

Efevberha late Friday night.

Efevberha, out of Ganesha High in Pomona, received an eye-opening

introduction to college basketball, while Parada looked at the event

as the beginning to his breakout season.

“I expect a big season out of myself,” said Parada, the Anteaters’

starting 7-foot center who earned second-team All-Big West Conference

honors last year. “I am due. Personally, I’m thinking this as my

breakout season. I’ve set goals for myself, and I expect to reach

them. It’s a team sport and I know I can’t do it without my

teammates. We’re really anxious about getting to the NCAA Tournament.

We’ve been so close.”

As for Efevberha, he hopped in place with excitement before

midnight struck.

“I was kind of nervous,” said the 6-5, 190-pound guard who has

already been compared to Jerry Green. “I never played in front of

that many people before. It felt really good.”

Efevberha has taken the Green comparisons in stride. Efevberha

does not fear living up to high standards. Green, who redshirted his

first year with the Anteaters, earned back-to-back Big West Player of

the Year honors the past two years. Green is now playing

professionally in Germany.

“Jerry is a great player; I’ll have to fill up some big shoes over

here,” Efevberha said. “But I’m going to try my best. Maybe I’ll end

up like him or even better. This year, I want to play as a freshman

(not redshirt) and get some playing time. I want to help the team out

and help them get into the NCAA Tournament. I want to do whatever it

takes to get this team there.”

Douglass said Thursday, there is a possibility Efevberha will

redshirt this season. Efevberha averaged 25.1 points and 9.3 rebounds

per game this season, scoring a high of 58 points in a win over Brea

Olinda last December. He was a first-team All-CIF III-A selection and

was named Most Valuable Player of the Valle Vista League. Efevberha

led Ganesha to its first league title since 1987.

After midnight, Efevberha competed in the dunk contest and

displayed his impressive leaping ability. Though he did not win, he

nearly completed an off-the-backboard windmill dunk. He instead

settled for a one-handed jam, while the other hand grabbed his own

jersey and flipped it over his face.

UCI junior Matt Okoro, who has taken Efevberha under his wing as a

friend and teammate, won the slam dunk contest, by jumping over

teammate DeVaughn Peace, who sat in a chair some three feet away from

the rim, and stuffing the ball in the hoop.

Meanwhile, Douglass smiled with pride as he looked on. After

player introductions took place, he delivered a small speech, that

included gratitude and optimism.

“You’ve been responsible for our success,” Douglass told the

crowd. “They said it couldn’t be done here at UC Irvine. They said we

couldn’t win championships. We’ve done some great things here and

we’re going to take the next step forward. You’re going to be

surprised.”

UCI women’s basketball coach Mark Adams also spoke to the Anteater

fans, the majority of which were students. Adams said there will be a

different brand of basketball played by his squad.

A preview: UCI 6-4 sophomore center Ashley Biggins defeated Ryan

Codi, the Irvine men’s 7-1 back-up center, in a three-point contest.

ZOTS: UCI senior Jordan Harris, a 6-5 220-pound guard who tore his

PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) three months ago, said he has begun

running. He is not sure if he will be ready for the Anteaters

season-opener, an exhibition game at Cal State Bakersfield.

“It’s going to be up to the doctors,” said Harris, who reveled in

the Midnight Magic festivities. “Midnight Magic is just fun with the

kind of people who are here. We’re not even playing a game, and all

these people show up. We’re just messing around and there is a lot of

excitement. It’s fun being in this kind of environment” ... Bob

Chichester, Irvine’s new athletic director who officially begins

working for UCI on Monday, was in attendance with his wife, Phyllis.