«Isn't this what you have been waiting for? / Are you ready?”… These questions are the first verses of “Dreams and Nightmares” by rapper Meek Mill. About 20 minutes before the start of Northwestern University's final home game of the 2022-2023 season, the lights at Welsh Ryan Arena dimmed, and “senior night” began on the big screen with a video of the best moments of the season.
A video that had as its musical base an instrumental version of that rap and that above all said goodbye to three players who had taken the basketball team to the greatest heights in its history. It was goodbye to three friends, the three captains, who arrived and left together: Daniel 'Boo' Buie, currently in the Mexico City Captains, Robbie Beran, in the German Chemnitz, and above all to the great idol Chase Audige, new Unicaja player.
Chase was born in Coram, Long Island (NY), but very young he moved to Pottstown, Montgomery County (Pennsylvania). A city marked by the steel industry and the production of iron and steel. Perhaps that is why his university destination was on the shores of Lake Michigan, in what is now called the “rust belt” but which in its day was one of the great industrial engines of the United States.
He could have gone to Wake Forest, Nevada or Providence, but he chose Northwestern University, in Evanston (Illinois). A program that few wanted to go to and that had Joe Ruklick as its best player in the NBA. Joe was the one who assisted the 100th point on Wilt Chamberlain's big night in his scoring ecstasy. “When I was there, I thought, 'Wow.' It was the best option for school, basketball, studies and I love the city and coach Chris Collins,” he commented in the school newspaper.
When you are the son of Jamaican and Haitian immigrants, and you are the youngest of seven brothers and to be able to play you have to run more than anyone else, defend more than anyone else and not touch the ball much, no one expects much from you. When you're a three-star recruit and you're rated the 313th player nationally, 76th at your position, no one expects anything from you. When you choose a basketball program that few want to go to and you are lacking on offense, no one expects anything from you.
Chase Audige however led his high school, Hill School, to the best season in its history with 20 wins while remaining undefeated at home. He led his university to the best season in its history, qualifying for the final NCAA tournament and beating a number 1 university ranking, Purdue, for the first time.
In every G-League game he played there were Northwestern fans in the stands wearing purple shirts to thank him for what he had done for their university, where he is considered one of the best players in its history.
He arrived in Europe and won BCL Player of the Week after leading Oostende to a victory in France against Nanterre in the play-Ins. Audige is not a star, but he will become a Carpena idol for his defense and intensity, and will form, together with Alberto Díaz, probably the best outside defensive duo in the ACB.
Audige was waiting and is ready. It is a piece that was missing in this new Unicaja of Ibon Navarro, which in one week has gone on to have a roster of 15 players, if we include the injured David Kravish, plus the two U22s who help the team when necessary: Trujillo and Butajevas. The tetris of rotations takes on a new dimension. Carpe Diem…
