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Basketball – Blackham: Fans remember when …Basketball – Blackham: Fans remember when … Basketball – Blackham: Fans remember when … Cajuns vs. Soviet Union Love of the game Many memorable moments The night Bo Lamar poured in 62 against Northeast in double overtime. As his scoring total climbed, I left my seat high in Blackham’s smoke-filled ceiling and went closer to the court. Finally, I ended up standing right behind then-SID Bob Henderson at the scorer’s table. I wasn’t alone. Bo Lamar hitting a halfcourt jump shot‚ at the buzzer, to beat a scrappy Yale team in the semifinals of the Bayou Classic. Most people heave the ball from halfcourt. Bo took his normal jump shot. His range was uncanny. Fans stormed the floor and hoisted Bo on their shoulders. The incredible sound that was made on that portable hardwood floor when athletes the size and speed of Bo Lamar, Marvin Winkler, Payton Townsend, Wilbert “Tree" Lofton, Roy Ebron, Fred Saunders, and Garlin “Big G" Williams ran back and forth. It was a combination of squeaking shoes and sonic booms. Most Odd Memory — The night “Big G." Williams lofted up one of his patented baby hooks from mid-lane at the goal closest to Johnston Street. After several soft bounces, the ball peacefully came to rest on the flat metal piece of the rim, which connects to the backboard. I have never seen this occur again in all my years of watching basketball. Early 80’s memorable Bringing all those Burger King hamburgers and taunting “the round mound of rebound" with them. Alla the Rim God slamming all those missed free throws — did he shoot left or right handed? Getting to the game two hours early to get the prime student seat to throw all those peanuts at the other team’s players. George Almones getting in a fight at center court. Reading the newspaper during the other team’s lineup. Taunting the Marquette priest while he sat on the bench — that’s got to be a sin. Johnny Collins picking all those pockets. La. Tech rivalry I remember one game when the cheerleaders were working the crowd with both teams at half court when one of the La. Tech girls was giving one of the male cheerleaders hell about something when he reached down and smacked a big kiss on her. The crowd went wild and as a young high schooler it just floored me to see that. Heart of Cajun basketball in Blackham Coliseum Moving to the new Cajundome was a great step for basketball but many of us left our hearts not in San Francisco but in Blackham Coliseum. The fierce rivalaries between the Cajuns and the Lamar Cardinals and the McNeese Cowboys were something to behold. No one can forget McNeese coach Glenn Duhon taking his team to the free throw line during timeouts to get away from the Cajun students who parked behind the opposing bench and actually made a difference in a few games. I would love to be there as the Cajuns move back to Blackham. Reggie White First Toney sighting We attended most of the home games that year in support of the team. At one of the games, a picture was taken of Andrew Toney making a jumpshot. This picture was printed on the cover of one of the game programs. Later, as my friends and I studied the picture, we noticed that the student section had been captured in the background. Looking closely, we found our faces in the student section crowd. We brag about how we picked out one of the players for USL to become a star in the NBA. The rest is history that most USL basketball fans are familiar with. My friends and I still talk about those great times at Blackham. Originally published December 2, 2005
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