Billy mentioned losing this game in his postgame interview. He mentioned the date, the score, the location...everything about it....in a discussion on making the Final Four in HS basketball.

Who remembers that game? I was there.

That THS team was amazing.

I was at the game played at baylor when ellison beat us.

Maybe I'm mixing up my games, because I also remember that.

Ok, I think I'm losing it.

Still, who knew that was Billy?

I was at the game at the tournament in Waco (M&M ?) where Temple beat Ellison, stalled the ball half the game.

Three division I players on the Temple team, and one or two on the ellison squad.

Thanks, Crusader. I think that's what I was thinking.

That was Coach Harry Miller's team, whose son Roddrick was a kid I taught, and was a terrific student as well as player. He and BRIAN SKINNER went on to play for Coach Miller when he left THS to coach Baylor. I never taught Brian, but heard great things about him, and he was always smiling in the halls as he towered above everyone else.

That was a character team. Lots of great kids on that team. Coach Miller was a great coach and an even better human being.

Jerode Banks? Probably the best player to play at Temple in my lifetime.

Matt Williams was the best player while I was in school. He went on to play at Colorado State

quote:

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Jerode Banks?

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Smokey?

I played little league baseball with Brian Skinner and he was a really nice guy. As was his entire family.

Waco High 93'... holla.

Smokey unfortunately perished in a one car accident on I-35 between Temple and Waco. I think in Troy. I played in a college summer league against Roddrick and Brian. Those were two very quality individuals. I actually guarded (if you can call it that) Brian. He scored 12 points on me, all from the foul line(we fouled out on 6 in the league instead of 5 like in college). I hacked him every time he caught it. I wasn't going to let him get to the basket and dunk on me. I made him earn it from the charity stripe! Of course, he had five inches on me, not to mention he was plenty quicker than I was.

I have never actually met Coach Miller, but I have heard so many good things about him. Never a single bad word.

[This message has been edited by Crusaders41 (edited 2/26/2007 8:51p).]

I remember that wreck. It was gut-wrenching at THS after. It happened on I-35 under an overpass in downtown Troy, basically.

He was an amazing player. I feel awful that I left him off my earlier list. I didn't know Jerode at all, but it was a devastating loss for the students.

In '93 I was on JV basketball for Killeen and asked to be Brian Skinner for the Varsity to play against. I was 6'2". I am no Brain Skinner.

downtown Eddy fwiw



and that Temple basketball team that year was one of the best i've ever seen

It was the best. Beat Ellison 3 times earlier in that season. They beat us when it really counted. 35-1 season.

He was killed in an accident in Bruceville-Eddy. He hit the overpass. It was after his freshman year at Baylor where he played quite well. I also remember that Regional Final at Baylor. I think that Temple had beaten Ellison twice during league play that season and either once or twice during the non-district tournaments.

Thanks for the many corrections, guys...especially concerning Smokey.

That was a special, special team, even if my old age is catching up to my memory!

There were some others on that team that went on to play college ball if I am right. Gene Overton and Weazy Childs went on to play at Temple College.... and Weazy was recruited to play for SW Okla. St. but perished in an automobile accident on the way home from a football game. I think that they both played for that Temple team as well but could be mistaken.

Learn as if you were to live forever....
Live as if you were die tomorrow.....
- John Wooden