Men’s Basketball: Basketball centennial honors legacy, brings victory

Men’s Basketball: Basketball centennial honors legacy, brings victory

Zane Hill, Managing Editor, Vermilion, January 26, 2011
zanehill@gmail.com   

The success of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s “Basketball is Back” reunion reinforced the suggestion of a men’s basketball alumni chapter being created in effort to preserve the successful history of the now 100-year-old program.

“I think this would be a great opportunity for those of you who are basketball players or basketball participants to use this as a kickoff to perhaps form a basketball alumni chapter,” said Director of Alumni Affairs Dan Hare, “and if that is something of interest, as the weekend progresses, we’d be happy to visit with you and make that a reality.”

The men’s basketball reunion kicked off Friday, Jan. 22 at 5 p.m. in UL Lafayette’s filled-to-the-brim Alumni Center. After around an hour of socialization, a handful of the event orchestrators gave brief welcoming and thanking speeches before dinner was served.

Legendary former coach Beryl Shipley, famous for desegregating the team when he took over in 1958, drew a significant amount of praise throughout the event, with current Ragin’ Cajuns men’s basketball head coach Bob Marlin telling an anecdote involving a meeting with Shipley during Friday’s event.

“And the end of the meeting,” Marlin said, after Shipley gave extensive advice to him, “he gave me a big hug and told me he loved me, and I had to fight back tears. To be a part of something like that means so much to me because I certainly respect the people that have been before me and I try to pass it onto the team today.”

Randy Price, who played from 1955-59, said his first year under Shipley was “the hardest work I’ve ever done in my life.

“The only rivalry we had was with Shipley,” he joked when asked about in-team rivalry with players from opposing high schools. “He made basketball fun for us again. We’re all so happy to see the college give him the recognition it has.”

On Jan. 23, the guests toured the campus and did a basketball shoot-a-round before a reception in the Mardi Gras Ballroom, where a slideshow presented various photographs and newspaper clippings highlighting the team’s history.

“We had a really good fanbase,” said 1960-65 player Dean Church, noting that he was optimistic about Marlin and his ability to win enough games to resurrect said fanbase.

Asked about the reunion, Church said, “It’s super seeing all of the old people and the old faces and the old memories,” and also added the rivalry game against the University of Louisiana at Monroe that night was something to look forward to.

Although downplaying the time he “sat” basketball, 1959-61 player Finley Stamatis spoke highly of his time at what was then the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

“I loved the competition,” he said, “but the best part was the friendship, the camaraderie and the teammates.”

After the reception, all of the guests assembled in the Cajundome court for autograph signing while the stadium filled to around 6,000 people for the game. During halftime, the alumni were all recognized in groups of the decades they played, starting in 1940. Afterward, a surprise video of Shipley was played.

“I would like to thank my players, my coaches, trainers, cheerleaders, managers, everyone that was associated with the program during my period and time. All of you meant so very much to me. I’ll never forget the loyal fans who loved the game…I love all of you,” he said to thunderous applause.

The Ragin’ Cajuns’ 84-75 point success over UL Monroe Saturday night complemented the atmosphere created by the presence of seven decades of UL Lafayette’s basketball history in the Cajundome.

“It was a good win for them and it was a good ballgame. I was really proud for coach Marlin,” said 1975-78 head coach Jim Hatfield after the game. “I know he’ll get it done. This here is a great place to coach. They’re givers here, not takers.”

“Universities are a lot of things…most of all, the character of a university is its people,” UL Lafayette President E. Joseph Savoie, Ph.D, said. “And we all build on the foundation that’s been established for us. All of the good things that we are trying to do now are only able to happen because of the good things that you all did for the university when you were here.

“We want you back often.”