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LOUISIANA La. - Blackham Coliseum got the first part of a much-needed face-lift Saturday, as University of Louisiana student volunteers washed bleachers, swept the floors and started re-painting stairs and bleachers.
The repairs are to get Blackham back in shape to host basketball games for the Ragin' Cajun men's and women's teams while the Cajundome continues to host evacuees from areas hit by hurricanes Rita and Katrina.
"If we have to play here, we want it to look nice. It was much needed anyway so it's a good way to get the place back up," said Dennis Dent, one of a handful of volunteers from Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. "It'll be nice, kind of a retro-throwback night for basketball games."
A revamp effort had been planned for a while but definite notice that the Cajun basketball teams would be using Blackham called for more immediate action, since the teams get started in less than a month, said University Programs Council Spirit Chairman Kyle Kellner.
"There's still a lot of stuff to be done, but this was definitely needed. Hopefully, it'll cause the students to have more pride in the venue, in the team and really express that at the games, however many we have here," he said.
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Jordan Hernandez
jhernandez@theadvertiser.com
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Some of the volunteers said they're looking forward to games in Blackham, as a change of venue could be refreshing.
"It'll be different ... but it could be fun," Durrel Barker said.
"It'll be fun to have our basketball games in here," Brittany Dubois said. "It'll be louder and, hopefully, get more people involved in the game."
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