Vandy fans get selfies, relive memories at alumni game

Greg Harris came to Vanderbilt’s Memorial Gym Saturday to relive his memories of all-time greats such as Will Perdue and Billy McCaffrey.

His 15-year-old daughter Katie wanted to meet current players Luke Kornet and Riley LaChance.

Both came away happy, along with about 3,000 fans who attended Vanderbilt’s second alumni basketball game.

“This is so interesting to me, to see all these players that (my dad) has told me about,” said Katie, a sophomore at Father Ryan. “Vanderbilt basketball gives us something to talk about, something we both love.”

More than 70 former players from a half-century span returned to Memorial Gym for the event, and 21 took the court in the game. Some made the short drive to campus like Nashville native Drew Maddux, who followed in the footsteps of his grandfather Ed and father, Ray, as players to Vanderbilt.

Maddux even had his own cheering section, led by Belmont player Craig Bradshaw – who played under Maddux at Christ Presbyterian Academy and wore an original No. 45 Vanderbilt jersey to the event.

“This isn’t a throwback,” Bradshaw said. “This is Coach Maddux’s actual jersey (from the 1990s), and it’s autographed by him.”

Other former Vanderbilt players traveled from all corners of the country like Russ Lakey (2001-04) from Los Angeles and Lance Goulbourne (2009-12) from New York.

“This is a great event because at times I think we have the tendency to forget how much talent has come through these doors and played at Memorial Gym until they’re all here at one time,” said Perdue, who won four NBA titles after his Commodores career.

Ryan French, from Manchester, was only 2 when Perdue was named SEC Player of the Year in 1988, but he stood in an autograph line to get a selfie with his grandfather’s favorite player.

“I was super super young when he was at Vanderbilt, but he’s a legend,” French said. “To this day, if basketball is being talked about, my granddad has a story about Will Perdue. So seeing him today was important to me.”

McCaffrey, the 1993 SEC Co-Player of the Year, was a big draw at the autograph session after he missed the first alumni game two years ago.

“I wanted to come to the first one, but I just couldn’t make it. But when (Vanderbilt director of basketball operations) Dan Cage called me this time, I jumped at the chance,” McCaffrey said. “It feels really good to be back. They still love their hoops here.”

Long-time Vanderbilt fan Robert Hendon said a flood of memories came alive seeing his childhood heroes back on the hardwood.

“I’ve been a Vanderbilt fan since the 70s, and I remember seeing all these guys all the way back to when I was a kid,” Hendon said. “It was so nice to see all of them, and I loved seeing Billy McCaffrey here and part of Vanderbilt again.”

Long-time fan Karen Austin said the alumni game is the perfect event to bridge the Commodores’ past to the present, with the season tipping off Nov. 13 against Austin Peay.

“It brings the fan base together over different generations, and it gets people hyped up about the next season before it gets here,” Austin said. “We are always excited about the new players coming in, and they get to see the old players here.

“We’re with Vanderbilt through thick and thin, so it’s great to see all the players from all those years.”

Reach Adam Sparks at 615-259-8010 and on Twitter @AdamSparks.