Aside from the presence of some UCSB staff members, radio-TV announcers, and other media, the Thunderdome seats are vacant during Gaucho basketball games in this COVID era. To create a sense of a crowd, a vague buzzing sound emanates from speakers. It sounds like a distant leaf blower.
“I miss the fans a lot,” senior guard Devearl Ramsey said. “You still want to put on a show, but you have to adjust.” That means arousing joyful reactions on the team bench. The Gauchos fortunately have a roster of avidly engaged players.
When sophomore Josh Pierre-Louis flew down the lane for a dunk that punctuated last Saturday’s 84-53 victory over UC San Diego, there was an eruption on the sideline. “We all went nuts,” Ramsey said. “Josh is a special talent and a great kid.” Pierre-Louis, a transfer from Temple, is an explosive guard whose initials, JPL, are known to stand for Jet Propulsion Laboratory.