The Walter Pyramid celebrated its 25th anniversary with a basketball doubleheader by both the women’s and men’s teams Saturday.
“I’m always a 49er and I’ll stay a 49er for life,” former women’s basketball player Adara Newidouski said. “It’s good to be back, it’s great to see some of my teammates. Just brings back great memories, 25 years went way too fast.”
Members who were able to attend the ceremony formed a group on the court during halftime of the men’s game to receive their praise.
“The one thing that I couldn’t wait [for] was again how bright the lights are here,” former men’s basketball player Juaquin Hawkins said. “Coming from like the inner-city, you’re not used to that, so to have this, a big pyramid … about 5,000 families here and the energy in here, man it was fantastic, so for me to be apart of that … there’s just a lot of memories.”
Aside from acknowledging 25 years as the schools’ iconic sports venue, both the women’s and men’s teams from the 1994-1995 season were honored individually and presented with a video from former head coach Seth Greenberg who was unable to attend.
“The games weren’t games, they were events,” Greenberg recalled in his video to the team.
The fans were able to enjoy a day full of basketball, new and old, as the women knocked off CSUN 60-52 followed by a 66-62 loss against Fullerton by the men.
“I love coming back here,” former men’s basketball player Brian Yankelevitz said. “Seeing “The Beach” with the triangle and really signifying the Pyramid and everybody identifies Long Beach State with it, it’s just fantastic.”
Ralston Dacanay, assistant sports editor, contributed to the reporting in this article.