While Houston Rockets’ fans rallied in support of their team’s last ditch playoff push matchup against Western Conference top-seeded San Antonio Spurs, their ticket to Friday’s game brought them more than just NBA basketball action as they enjoyed a live performance from the Prairie View A&M University Panther Dolls during halftime.
After an action-packed first half in which both teams combined for 120 points, the Rockets went into the half with an eight-point lead. After the players made their way to the locker rooms, Shaunte Moore, program coordinator for the Office of Student Activities and Leadership and director of the Panther Dolls, gave her squad one last look of encouragement before they hit the floor to dazzle the crowd of more than 18,000 NBA spectators.
Moore said, “We asked the Rockets Corporation in the summer of 2010 if we could perform during halftime. We had to sell a certain amount of tickets in order to keep that spot. I was thrilled about having them perform at a professional event because it gives the girls an opportunity to show their talent and skills as a dance team to other people outside the PVAMU campus.”
The Panther Dolls used their electric style and charm throughout their performance to deliver an amazing experience to fans. Moore says she was sitting on the sidelines the entire time cheering and screaming for her dance team along with nearby spectators. To her surprise, Moore says the team received an extended standing ovation. She also notes that she was pleased with their performance because they displayed so much energy and excitement while executing the routine to perfection.
Moore said, “The love that they received at the game made me so proud as a dance coach. Other schools that were in attendance were so amazed at our performance that they requested our presence in future performances at their schools, which is a great recruiting tool for us.”
After an exhausting performance, the Panther Dolls returned to their seats and joined fans as they cheered the Rockets to a 119-114 overtime victory over the Spurs.