Men’s Basketball: UL greats return

Men’s Basketball: UL greats return

Joshua Parrott • jparrott@theadvertiser.com • January 22, 2011

Photos by Leslie Westbrook/lwestbrook@theadvertiser.com Former UL basketball announcer Ron Gomez, left, chats with former player Ted Lyles during a reunion social Friday evening at the UL Alumni House.

Jim Hatfield made the trip from Panama City, Fla., to Lafayette for UL’s Basketball Reunion this weekend for one reason.

Of all his coaching stops, Hatfield liked coaching the Ragin’ Cajuns more than anywhere else. Hatfield helped then-USL rebuild after a two-year death penalty handed down by the NCAA, going 47-35 from 1975-78 before leaving to take over Mississippi State’s program.

Leaving for Starkville, Miss., was a move that Hatfield still regrets to this day, which made his most recent visit to Lafayette so special.

"I love this place," Hatfield said Friday night at a basketball reunion social held in UL’s Alumni Center. "This school has a special place in my heart. It’s the best place I’ve ever coached and the best place I’ve ever lived. This was where I got my first head coaching job in college, so there’s a lot of emotion for me here."

Hatfield was one of the many familiar faces from the program’s storied past to show up Friday night on campus. At least 100 former players, coaches, personnel and their family showed up for the social to celebrate 100 years of UL basketball.

The reunion was the result of months and countless hours of planning by multiple individuals, a plan that started last summer. The former players, coaches and personnel will be honored at halftime of tonight’s game against ULM in the Cajundome.

Current UL head coach Bob Marlin said that the program’s history was the main reason why he took this job last spring after a successful 12-year run at Sam Houston State. The Cajuns (4-14) have struggled this season as Marlin tries to set the foundation for future success.

"This is a great way to embrace the past and the tradition of our program," Marlin said. "To see the players and coaches from the different decades come together is really satisfying. It makes you proud to be a Cajun."

Ted Lyles, a point guard for the Cajuns from 1975-79, made the trip down from Shreveport for Friday’s social. Lyles now works in the oil and gas industry. He likes Lafayette enough that he plans to move back here whenever retirement comes his way.

"I wouldn’t have missed this for anything," said Lyles, who is third in school history with 537 career assists. "We look for any reason or excuse to come to Lafayette. What I’m excited about the most is seeing my old teammates. That’s what made my time here so much fun. The best thing I ever put on my resume was to be involved with basketball at USL.

"Companies want to look at who can work with a team, and that’s what basketball and sports are all about."

Alonza Allen, a forward at UL from 1980-84, has lived in Lafayette since 1992 and now works with at-risk youth. He scored 1,211 points in his collegiate career before getting selected in the fifth round of the 1984 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers. He later played professionally in South America.

More than anything, Allen made sure to attend the reunion after hearing that his former coach, Bobby Paschal, would be in town for the event.

"This is a part of history," Allen said. "I lost contact with a lot of these guys, so I’m really excited about seeing some old faces and meeting some guys that I didn’t know. I haven’t really seen coach Paschal since 1984. I think he’s an awesome person and a tremendous coach. I respect him a lot, and I’m excited to see him again."

Payton Townsend was another one of the program’s former stars that showed up Friday night.

Townsend — a 6-foot-7 center originally from Hamilton, Ohio — is fourth in school history with 896 rebounds. He also scored 1,240 points for the school from 1968-72.

"It’s great to see everybody in one place again," said Townsend, who lives in Lafayette and works in the oil fields. "We’re all here for one reason. It’s especially important for us to help get this program back like it was before and get the morale back up in this area.

"We need to do that for the school’s sake. The alumni can help with that. If they think it’s important, I think we can get it done."