A gift for some of y'all older hoops fans courtesy of Deon Hunter and Wendell Williams

ADLER · September 22

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/aCQhhjYLtL4WHVFa/

1988 NCAA Tourney: North Texas' first. UNC squad featured 7 McDonalds All-Americans including future NBA stars Scott Williams, Rick Fox, Jeff Lebo, J.R. Reid, and Pete Chilcutt.

Please also notice the North Texas mascot Rick well back before he was Fire Fightin'.

And yes, I miss our leading scorer from that team, Tony Worrell; a wonderful basketball player, but an even better person... always that huge smile and never a bad word about anybody.

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Edited September 25 by ADLER

Greenrex · September 22

Excellent post, Adler. Thanks!

wardly · September 22

16 hours ago, ADLER said:

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/aCQhhjYLtL4WHVFa/

1988 NCAA Tourney: North Texas' first. UNC squad featured 7 McDonalds All-Americans including future NBA stars Scott Williams, Rick Fox, Jeff Lebo, J.R. Reid, and Pete Chilcutt.

Please also notice the North Texas mascot back before he was Fire Fightin'.

And yes, I miss our leading scorer from that team, Tony Worrell; a wonderful basketball player, but an even better person.

I flew up with the team to that game with my 8th grade son. The night before the Mavs were in town and we saw them play the Jaz. I can't remember his name but besides Worrell our center, who only played one year, was freshman player of the year in the SLC. The 2nd game was the best basketball i have ever seen featuring Wyoming and Loyola M. who scored about 235 points between them. There were several players in that game who went on to play on the NBA although one had a heart attack and died at a very early age.

Cooley · September 23

Too bad the 75-76 squad was independent with no real opportunity to advance to the tournament. They would have knocked off at least two higher seeds. The 88 team was just happy to be there.

ADLER · September 25

On 9/22/2024 at 6:35 PM, wardly said:

I flew up with the team to that game with my 8th grade son. The night before the Mavs were in town and we saw them play the Jaz. I can't remember his name but besides Worrell our center, who only played one year, was freshman player of the year in the SLC. The 2nd game was the best basketball i have ever seen featuring Wyoming and Loyola M. who scored about 235 points between them. There were several players in that game who went on to play on the NBA although one had a heart attack and died at a very early age.

I think you were referring to Ronnie Morgan, our power forward from S.O.C. Ronnie had an illness that kept him out of basketball through his senior season. He returned for the SLC tourney in his senior season which we eventually lost in the championship to high flying Carlos Funches and his NEL (ULM) squad.

Edited September 26 by ADLER

wardly · September 25

10 hours ago, ADLER said:

I think you were referring to Ronnie Morgan, our power forward from S.O.C. Ronnie had an illness that kept him out of basketball through his senior season. He returned for the SLC tourney in his senior season which we eventually lost in the championship to high flying Carlos Funches and his NEL (ULM) squad. The Loyola Marymount player you were referring to was Hank Gathers: a top pick of the Celtics with a cocaine issue.

Thanks for plugging names in. Wyoming had a stud player[ whose name I can't spell ] Fenis Dunbo , who really lit it up .

UNTLifer · September 25

13 hours ago, ADLER said:

I think you were referring to Ronnie Morgan, our power forward from S.O.C. Ronnie had an illness that kept him out of basketball through his senior season. He returned for the SLC tourney in his senior season which we eventually lost in the championship to high flying Carlos Funches and his NEL (ULM) squad. The Loyola Marymount player you were referring to was Hank Gathers: a top pick of the Celtics with a cocaine issue.

Hank Gathers died on the court while playing for Loyola Marymount.

Len Bias out of Maryland was the Celtics #1 pick that died of a cocaine OD.

Mo Green · September 25

A gift for the more MATURE fans of BB I think you wanted to say!

Shark84 · September 25

I remember we missed a lot of layups and shot terrible from the floor. We wouldn't have beaten them with JR and their size up front but it should have been a 10 point game. Loved Jimmy Gales! Fun memories. Thanks for posting.

cousin oliver · September 26

Nice. Enjoyed this memory.

wardly · September 26

18 hours ago, Shark84 said:

I remember we missed a lot of layups and shot terrible from the floor. We wouldn't have beaten them with JR and their size up front but it should have been a 10 point game. Loved Jimmy Gales! Fun memories. Thanks for posting.

Tony Worrell had a rough game. I may have dreamed this but I think the team all signed a barf bag on the flight home and gave it too him for his play against North Carolina. However at age 81 I am not sure it happened or someone just made up a good story.