National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I

Tuesday 29th December 2015

Tip off 19.00

Texas A&M University Aggies 82 California Polytechnic State University Mustangs 63,  attendance 7,442

@ Reed Arena

730, Olsen Boulevard

College Station, TX 77843

$5 admission

Programme free, 4 pages.

There was ample time to drive the 91 miles South East from Waco to give a nice midweek double.

The arena was opened in November 1998 and has a capacity of 12,989. Good atmosphere created by the ‘Reed Rowdies’ who are a vociferous group of home supporting students.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I

Tuesday 29th December 2015

Tip off 14.00

Baylor University Bears 72 Texas Southern University Tigers 59, attendance 5,223

@ Ferrell Center

1900, South University Parks Drive

Waco, TX 76706

$10 admission

Programme free, covers all December games, 28 pages.

The Ferrell Centre was built in 1988 and has a capacity of 10,284.  It is named after Charles R. Ferrell, a former Baylor student who died in 1967 and the family estate was a major benefactor of the arena.

National Basketball Association

Monday 21st December 2015

19.30 Tip off

New York Knicks 99 Orlando Magic 107,  attendance 19,812

Knicks Starters ;

Carmelo Anthony, 23 pts, 4 reb, 6 ast

Robin Lopez, 12 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 2 blk

Arron Afflalo, 4 pts,5 reb, 3 ast

Kristaps Porzingis, 9 pts, 8 reb, 1 ast, 4 blk

Jose Calderon, 4 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast, 1 ast

Playing Reserves ;

Lance Thomas, Langston Galloway, Jerian Grant, Derrick Williams, Kevin Seraphin, Sasha Vujacic

Magic Starters ;

Tobias Harris, 20 pts, 3 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl

Nikola Vucevic, 26 pts, 9 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk

Evan Fournier, 16 pts, 6 reb, 1 ast, 3 stl

Channing Frye, 7 pts, 1 reb, 1 blk

Elfrid Payton, 5 pts, 3 ast

Playing Reserves ;

Jason Smith, Victor Oladipo, Mario Hezonja, Andrew Nicholson, Shabazz Napier, Aaron Gordon

@ Madison Square Garden

4 Pennsylvania Plaza

New York, NY 10001

Admission  $102 + $15.60 fees (resale) print at home ticket

No programme.

This is the fourth venue to take the name ‘Madison Square Garden’ and was opened in February 1968. It is one of the most famous sporting venues in the world, especially in boxing, having staged amongst numerous title bouts, Muhammad Ali- Joe Frazier.

Capacity these days is 19,812 and it is also home to New York Rangers of the NHL.

Another that is very easy to reach on public transport and is right in the heart of Manhattan, being no more than 10 minutes walk from Times Square.

Having had former President George W. Bush and Sir Paul McCartney introduced to the crowd at previous basketball games, it was good to see the cameraman pick out a big name at tonight’s game as well……..Pete Davidson ?????????

National Basketball Association

Sunday 20th December 2015

13.00 Tip off

Brooklyn Nets 85 Minnesota Timberwolves 100,  attendance 14,552

Nets Starters ;

Brook Lopez, 20 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk

Bojan Bogdanovic, 13 pts, 3 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl

Thaddeus Young, 12 pts, 8 reb, 1 stl

Joe Johnson, 6 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast

Jarret Jack, 4 pts, 3 reb, 6 ast, 1 stl

Playing Reserves ;

Wayne Ellington, Donald Sloan, Andrea Bargnani, Markel Brown, Willie Reed

Timberwolves Starters ;

Andrew Wiggins, 16 pts, 3 reb, 1 stl, 1 blk

Karl-Anthony Towns, 24 pts, 10 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk

Ricky Rubio, 8 pts, 2 reb, 15 ast, 4 stl

Tayshaun Prince, 4 pts, 1 reb

Kevin Garnett, 0 pts, 7 reb, 2 ast, 2 stl

Playing Reserves ;

Gorgui Dieng, Zach LaVine, Kevin Martin, Adreian Payne, Shabazz Muhammad, Andre Miller, Nemanja Bjelica, Damjan Rudez

@ Barclays Center

620, Atlantic Avenue

Brooklyn, NY 11217

Admission $38 + $7.44 fees,  print at home ticket

Programme free, 56 pages.

Barclays Center was opened on 21st September 2012 and has a capacity of 17,732. It is also home to The New York Islanders NHL team.

This is as easy as it gets to reach by public transport. Simply take the subway to Atlantic Avenue-Barclays Center and as you exit the station the arena is right in front of you. The surrounding area has seen a massive regeneration project so plenty of eateries within easy reach of the arena.

We had former President George W. Bush introduced to the crowd on the big screen at SMU Mustangs basketball last month, but has he been gazumped as our most famous fellow spectator by Sir Paul McCartney ?

National Basketball Association

Wednesday 9th December 2015

Tip off 20.30

Dallas Mavericks 95 Atlanta Hawks 98,  attendance 19,936

Mavericks Starters ;

Zaza Pachulia, 11 pts, 17 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl

Deron Williams, 18 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast,

Wesley Matthews, 17 pts, 4 reb, 1 ast, 1 stl, 2 blk

Dirk Nowitzki, 13 pts, 8 reb, 2 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk

Raymond Felton, 11 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 1 stl

Playing Reserves ;

Dwight Powell, Chandler Parsons, Devin Harris, J.J. Barea, Charlie Villanueva, Jeremy Evans

Hawks Starters ;

Al Horford, 14 pts, 8 reb, 4 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk

Paul Millsap, 20 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 1 blk

Kyle Korver, 8 pts, 1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl, 1 blk

Jeff Teague, 14 pts, 2 reb, 6 ast,

Thabo Sefolosha, 7 pts, 6 reb, 2 ast, 1 blk

Playing Reserves ;

Kent Bazemore, Dennis Schroder, Lamar Patterson, Tiago Splitter, Mike Muscala,

@ American Airlines Center

2500, Victory Avenue

Dallas, TX 75219

Admission free,  corporate guest in VIP Box, including free Gold Car Park Pass.

Programme free, 36 pages.

Watching a game from a VIP Box is certainly different. Yes, there is the free food and drink flowing freely and the car park is under the stadium , so you arrive by elevator onto the middle level of the arena and into your box, where there are 16 very comfortable seats, set in two rows, but although it is open, you somehow feel detached from what is going on around you and it feels a bit strange. Sadly, the Mavs were pretty poor so the atmosphere felt flat. I had quite fancied a Season Ticket here, but the cost is astronomical.

The AAC was opened in 2001 at a cost of $420 million. Capacity for Basketball is 19,200 which obviously doesn’t include the VIP seats judging by the attendance tonight. The Dallas Stars of the NHL also play home games here.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I

Thursday 3rd December 2015

Tip off 19.00

University Texas Arlington Mavericks 90 University North Texas Mean Green 67,  attendance 6,107

@ College Park Center

600, South Center Street

Arlington, TX 76019

$10 admission

Programme free, 16 pages.

Opened in February 2012 at a cost of $78 million, having a seated capacity of 7,000. Tonight’s attendance has only been bettered once for a Mavericks home game, when 6,228 attended the opening match at the arena versus UTSA Roadrunners on 1st February 2012.

One thing you certainly notice here is the fantastic atmosphere the fans generate. Well worth the admission money and nice to park for free in the multi storey car park less than 100 yards walk away.

Following photos of poor quality due to camera malfunction.