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The Drexel Dragons kicked off their basketball season Saturday with a personalized edition of Midnight Madness, an event that ended up as more of a glorified pep rally and dance concert starring electronic artist DEV than basketball showcase.
The celebration started with introductions of both Dragon basketball teams using student-edited videos featuring footage from last year's storied seasons. The video presentations were followed by personal introductions for each member of both teams, including some foolishly entertaining dancing from CAA preseason first-team selection Damion Lee.
Drexel alum Chidera "Chiddy" Anamege, the lyrical half of hip-hop duo Chiddy Bang, made an unannounced appearance with English hype-rapper Master Shortie. They dropped some quick freestyle and pumped up the crowd with a number of comical one-liners.
At one point, Anamege asked which members of the crowd smoked marijuana, prompting a nearly unanimous roar from the students, much to the chagrin of the Drexel higher-ups sitting in the reserved seating section.
Head coach Bruiser Flint set the bar for success high during his appearance on stage. During his speech to the crowd, he promised a successful season and that he planned on "Hanging a few banners up in [the Daskalakis Athletic Center] this year."
Drexel begins its season -- also known as the "Revenge of the Dragon" -- Friday, Nov. 9, with an away game against Kent State.