How Shocker fans can do ‘a great thing’ for local charities at Drake scrimmage
Wichita State is giving fans a rare peek behind the curtain and using it to give local kids a leg up.
The Shockers will face Drake in a men’s basketball charity scrimmage at 1 p.m. Saturday at Koch Arena. Tickets are $20 for general admission with free parking and youth 18 and under, along with WSU students, faculty and staff, can claim free tickets at the Shocker Ticket Office.
All proceeds will benefit two local organizations: the Wichita Children’s Home and UJUMP, a mentorship program founded by former Shocker star Lynbert “Cheese” Johnson.
UJUMP helps guide Wichita youth through mentorship, leadership training and community support — and the money generated on Saturday could be a major boost.
“This is going to help us travel when we go out of town to different businesses and let the kids learn first-hand from workers all the way up to CEOs,” Johnson said. “Having a good name in the city, it opens doors for my program that other programs can’t do just because. So this is going to be a super big deal for us and it’s going to be a great thing for the Wichita community to help out these kids.”
For Johnson, the chance to be involved with the first public Shocker scrimmage was personal.
“I remember when I played, it was always a closed scrimmage,” he said. “So to be involved with the first scrimmage and for it to be played against an old Missouri Valley team, that’s a thrill for me and I think for all Shocker fans.”
Fans will see more than just a standard exhibition. The scrimmage will include extended live play, in-game scenarios and situational drills, offering a behind-the-scenes look rarely available to the public in October.
Drake’s visit adds a layer of nostalgia, as the Bulldogs haven’t visited Koch Arena since 2017 with WSU holding a 104-48 edge in 152 historical meetings. The Bulldogs are in a transition year with first-year head coach Eric Henderson, who previously coached against WSU’s Paul Mills in the Summit League at South Dakota State.
WSU athletic director Kevin Saal said selecting charities with direct ties to the program made sense once he learned of the NCAA rule change allowing fans to attend scrimmages. Not only is Johnson an alumni of the program, but the CEO of Wichita Children’s Home is Debbie Kennedy, wife of Mike Kennedy, the voice of the Shockers.
“We understand we’re going to win as a community, together and united,” Saal said. “Our mission is to develop young people and programs, and I think you can say the exact same things about (both charities). We’re excited about being able to honor the work that those two organizations do.”
With open seating, affordable tickets and free parking, the event is designed to draw fans who want to enjoy competitive basketball while directly supporting local youth through UJUMP and Wichita Children’s Home.
For Johnson, the impact of Saturday goes well beyond the game of basketball.
“To me, that’s a no-brainer,” Johnson said. “You can’t beat that.”
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