OREM — Celebrity glamour met hometown hospitality Tuesday at the first home game of the Utah Flash's inaugural season.

The team is the closest thing Provo's ever seen to professional basketball, and it's close enough to home that the chances of seeing someone familiar in the stands or on the court are high.

"I love the atmosphere here," said Scott Petersen, 24, who lives in Provo. "It's like an NBA feel but everything's kind of laid back."

About 3,000 people showed up to cheer on the fledgling developmental league basketball team that is affiliated with the Utah Jazz. The roaring crowd, armed with complimentary noise-makers, made up for any empty seats with fresh enthusiasm.

Petersen appreciated the fact that they didn't have to drive an hour or get "packed in like sardines" to see some good basketball, he said.

A red carpet led up to the door of the McKay Events Center on the Utah Valley State College campus where fans were greeted by pseudo-paparazzi snapping photographs as they made their way into the arena. The game started out with fireworks, flashy lights and a motorcycle run.

"It's not polished yet, and the boys seem a little uptight," Brian Kulmann said. It wasn't uncommon, at Tuesday's game, to run into people who knew someone on the floor.

Brittany Warner, 18, of Pleasant Grove, came to watch her sister dance at half-time. She plans to try out for the Utah Flash Pinnacle Dancers next year.

Tane Borsh, 26, drove from Pleasant Grove to watch an old college buddy play.

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E-mail: estuart@desnews.com