The energy inside Cameron Indoor Stadium was electric long before the first shot ever left a player’s hands. The Cameron Crazies packed Section 17, their eyes drifting up to the championship banners that define Duke basketball greatness. On this unforgettable Tuesday night, however, they weren’t just admiring history — they were preparing to make it.
By the end of the evening, 711 Duke students had officially claimed a Guinness World Record for the largest game of knockout basketball ever recorded. After an intense 158 minutes and five seconds of competition, they surpassed the previous record of 701 participants set in 2015 by the Dallas Mavericks. What began as a spirited campus event turned into a defining moment of pride, unity and relentless Blue Devil determination.
The night tipped off with four Duke basketball players — Nikolas Khamenia, Patrick Ngongba II, Taina Mair and Delaney Thomas — stepping onto Coach K Court to demonstrate the rules of knockout, the fast-paced backyard classic. In this game, players line up at the free-throw line. The first two competitors hold basketballs; the first shoots, immediately followed by the second. If the second shooter makes the basket before the first, the first player is eliminated. If not, the first player passes the ball down the line and hustles to the back to try again. The process continues until only one competitor remains.
The demonstration quickly turned competitive, culminating in a dramatic showdown between Thomas and Khamenia. After a tense exchange of clutch free throws, Thomas sank the decisive shot, igniting cheers from the crowd and setting the tone for what would become a marathon night of competition.
At precisely 7:07 p.m., Ngongba launched the first official attempt, sending the record-breaking mission into motion. The line of participants was nothing short of astonishing. It wound up the stairs on the south side of Cameron Indoor, looped through the concourse and wrapped back down toward the north entrance. The sheer scale of the event underscored Duke students’ commitment — not just to basketball, but to being part of something unforgettable.
The first round alone took more than an hour to complete. Yet the atmosphere never dulled. Students passed the time with slices of pizza, trivia contests for cash prizes and branded giveaways. Hundreds sported “Certified Crazies” shirts and bright orange sweatbands provided by the Dollar Shave Club, whose sponsorship helped bring the event to life. Footwear ranged from sneakers to Crocs, loafers to Birkenstocks — with only a handful wearing traditional basketball shoes. In an effort to keep the competition moving, any player who shot an airball was immediately eliminated, adding both urgency and pressure to every attempt.
Watching closely from the sidelines was Guinness World Records adjudicator Michael Empric. Dressed sharply in a navy vest and turquoise tie, clipboard in hand, Empric monitored every detail to ensure the attempt met official standards. On his clipboard sat the Mavericks’ benchmark of 701 participants — the number Duke aimed to beat.
Though vigilant in his duties, Empric also mingled with students eliminated early in the contest, taking photos and sharing stories from his unique career. Having judged everything from record-breaking cornhole attempts to synchronized wine uncorkings, he was no stranger to unusual feats.
“When you work for Guinness World Records, nothing is really crazy,” Empric remarked. “You’re exposed to so many things.”
Yet even he admitted surprise at Cameron Indoor’s intimate atmosphere, noting he had never attended a college basketball game before. The historic venue, widely regarded as one of the most iconic arenas in sports, delivered a charm and intensity he hadn’t expected.
Meanwhile, under the basket rebounding missed shots was Dollar Shave Club CEO Larry Bodner. A graduate of Duke’s Fuqua School of Business, Bodner recently relocated the company’s headquarters to Durham, less than two miles from campus. He spearheaded the record attempt as part of a campaign connecting the brand with college students — but also as a tribute to a university he deeply admires.
“I thought it would be a lot of fun to break a record here at Duke,” Bodner said. “The excitement over basketball is so great.”
As the minutes ticked by, the once-endless line began to shrink. After 113 minutes, it no longer wrapped around the court. Twenty minutes later, just 60 competitors remained. Fatigue set in, but so did determination. Every free throw carried heightened stakes, every swish met with roars of approval.
Finally, after 157 grueling minutes, the competition narrowed to three finalists. The entire arena hushed between shots, erupting with each make or miss. In a dramatic 40-second finale, sophomore Dash Hort emerged victorious, sinking a smooth free throw to outlast his Duke wrestling teammate Owen McGrory.
Hort, who attended on a last-minute impulse, walked away with a $1,000 grand prize and a place in Duke lore.
“I think I’m an above-average knockout player,” Hort said humbly. “But it just comes down to who makes the shot at the right time.”
Moments later, a brief ceremony at half court sealed the achievement. Empric presented the official Guinness World Record plaque as students gathered for photos, celebrating not just a number but a shared accomplishment.
For the Cameron Crazies, the record represents more than bragging rights. It’s a testament to community, school spirit and the power of collective enthusiasm. Beneath the championship banners of Cameron Indoor Stadium, Duke students proved once again that their passion for basketball extends far beyond game day.
As they continue hoping for another national title to hang from the rafters, they can now proudly claim a different kind of championship — one earned through stamina, unity and 711 determined free throws.
