A Sea Of Red

Full game. Two of the greatest basketball announcers in the history of television broadcasting announce the opening round game. Part 2 starts off with a little interview with Doc himself, pretty cool.

[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]
[youtube][/youtube]

Such a great game. This was probably our best team all around...

prototype wrote:Such a great game. This was probably our best team all around...

Pretty talented team that got hot late. I wouldn't say they were the best though. In my opinion 97's team that went 23-9 was better. Unfortunately lost in the final game to a hot Charleston Southern team after blowing an 11 point lead. We had:

Marco White - May be the most talented PG in LU history
Peter Aluma - 2 time MVP of the Big South Tournament (won it both years that we are comparing coincidentally)
Larry Jackson - 1st team all league player
Jay Boykin - To me best player on the team by far but had 2 knee ACL injuries. Shot 75% from 3 and averaged 15 ppg in 15 min per game during his 1st 11 college games before the second knee injury.
Erik Sorensen - Think Kurt Rambis without the glasses
Boo Graham - Athletic 4 that actually had us bringing Sorensen off the bench at times
Che Lugo - 6-9 with face up skills. Played behind Aluma
Mark Reed - Could start on any other team in the Big South but White and Jackson played his position. Did start at the 3 for us some.
Gabe Caldwell -6'3" athlete from Texas that was the best on ball defender on the team besides Marco White.

Some of my best friends in the world today are on that 94 team (Toomer, Chapman, Hildo, Nazigian) but I have to give the nod to 97.

It has been 20 years since the 1st NCAA team. I hope we do a bunch of stuff this season to honor those guys and their significant milestone in the Liberty Athletic Program.

SCAR wrote:

prototype wrote:Such a great game. This was probably our best team all around...

Pretty talented team that got hot late. I wouldn't say they were the best though. In my opinion 97's team that went 23-9 was better. Unfortunately lost in the final game to a hot Charleston Southern team after blowing an 11 point lead. We had:

Marco White - May be the most talented PG in LU history
Peter Aluma - 2 time MVP of the Big South Tournament (won it both years that we are comparing coincidentally)
Larry Jackson - 1st team all league player
Jay Boykin - To me best player on the team by far but had 2 knee ACL injuries. Shot 75% from 3 and averaged 15 ppg in 15 min per game during his 1st 11 college games before the second knee injury.
Erik Sorensen - Think Kurt Rambis without the glasses
Boo Graham - Athletic 4 that actually had us bringing Sorensen off the bench at times
Che Lugo - 6-9 with face up skills. Played behind Aluma
Mark Reed - Could start on any other team in the Big South but White and Jackson played his position. Did start at the 3 for us some.
Gabe Caldwell -6'3" athlete from Texas that was the best on ball defender on the team besides Marco White.

Some of my best friends in the world today are on that 94 team (Toomer, Chapman, Hildo, Nazigian) but I have to give the nod to 97.

It has been 20 years since the 1st NCAA team. I hope we do a bunch of stuff this season to honor those guys and their significant milestone in the Liberty Athletic Program.

I agree! I know I was hoping for 1 or 2 of those kids to transfer....

I think white can be argued as the best player in LU history...That guy was awesome...

I agree talent wise, you're probably right, but the chemistry of that 94 team pushed it over the edge for me. They seemed to gel together and we just never saw that again as much after that year. Can you image if they had white and not Pothoven?

Easy on Pothoven. I was at his house here in Ohio last week after many years. He was a great kid to coach. But yes White was special. I agree Proto that the chemistry was there. I attribute that to the Leadership of Hildebrand and the fact that they had 6 seniors.

That's why I'm looking forward to seeing Antwan Burrus with all the players from last season. Lots of experience, older players and now a 5th year senior that will be wearing his "Big Boy Pants" as usual. Can't wait for this season!

Pothoven wasn't bad, I actually liked him (he did make the occasional bad turnover - you remember...), I'm just talking about having that quick first step come in to relieve Matt or play along side, would have given UNC something else to deal with.

I hope your right about this years team, it's a little different having your leadership come from the post and not the point. We will see...

Potty was a solid player but White was dynamic. White and Hildo together would be a tough matchup for most back courts honestly. Hildo could have played off the ball some with that combo. As good as a floor leader and ball handler as Hildo was, he could have been a really good shooting guard too.

Speaking of Liberty guards, I had dinner with Fred Morgan last night up here in Columbus, Ohio. The Old Hags on the board will remember him for hitting the shot against Nationally ranked Mount St. Mary's to cap off an amazing double digit comback in the old Multi-purpose center. It was documented a few years ago on FF I think if memory serves me right. That was my Freshman year and even though Morgan was listed at 5'9'' I really looked up to him in terms of his skills. Truth is that if he hadn't left Liberty 1st semester of my soph year I may have never been given a chance to shine there. He was really good.

Matt - Hands down best leader we have had on any team at Liberty... We just need someone else like him to join our program. But, I think most programs are looking for that too.

SCAR wrote:Potty was a solid player but White was dynamic. White and Hildo together would be a tough matchup for most back courts honestly. Hildo could have played off the ball some with that combo. As good as a floor leader and ball handler as Hildo was, he could have been a really good shooting guard too.

Speaking of Liberty guards, I had dinner with Fred Morgan last night up here in Columbus, Ohio. The Old Hags on the board will remember him for hitting the shot against Nationally ranked Mount St. Mary's to cap off an amazing double digit comback in the old Multi-purpose center. It was documented a few years ago on FF I think if memory serves me right. That was my Freshman year and even though Morgan was listed at 5'9'' I really looked up to him in terms of his skills. Truth is that if he hadn't left Liberty 1st semester of my soph year I may have never been given a chance to shine there. He was really good.

That shot is probably the single most memorable shot I have seen in a Liberty game in person. The old gym exploded!

Oh, and I always figured he was more like 5'7".

Is it a coincidence that our best teams were loaded with Texas talent?

Come on, Scar. You knew I would go there. And no, I won't be telling Gabe stories.

Sly Fox wrote:Is it a coincidence that our best teams were loaded with Texas talent?

Come on, Scar. You knew I would go there. And no, I won't be telling Gabe stories.

Looks to me like Texas talent has been what has been letting us down lately;) How many Home School Leagues can one state have? Need to go back to Nigeria and get us a big man.

prototype wrote:

Sly Fox wrote:Is it a coincidence that our best teams were loaded with Texas talent?

Come on, Scar. You knew I would go there. And no, I won't be telling Gabe stories.

Looks to me like Texas talent has been what has been letting us down lately;) How many Home School Leagues can one state have? Need to go back to Nigeria and get us a big man.

Texas is loaded for sure and yes Sly I knew you would go there. As far as leadership, Hildo is top notch but I have to put 4 year starter and 3 year captain Jesse Sanders was on par. Mike Minett was a senior when I was a freshman and he was very much a great leader in a quiet way. I can't speak for the other sports.

Sly good call on Gabe.

SCAR wrote: Speaking of Liberty guards, I had dinner with Fred Morgan last night up here in Columbus, Ohio. The Old Hags on the board will remember him for hitting the shot against Nationally ranked Mount St. Mary's to cap off an amazing double digit comback in the old Multi-purpose center.

94 and 97- great memories of those teams! Big crowds in the Vines, as well. Somewhere, I still have the VHS from the 94 NCAA game. Regarding the Mt. St. Mary's game, I was there and I even remember where I was sitting. The was one of the most electrifying games I have ever attended at LU, whether in the Multi-Purpose Center or the Vines.

Rogers, I have the VHS tape of the 1994 game, and I know where it is. Heck, I've even got Scar's ETSU dunk on VHS before it made it to YouTube.

Cider Jim wrote:Rogers, I have the VHS tape of the 1994 game, and I know where it is. Heck, I've even got Scar's ETSU dunk on VHS before it made it to YouTube.

I admit it... I don't.

Jim Phelan vividly remembers the Liberty/MSM game you guys are referencing. He's told me a few stories of the Mount/LU rivalry over dinner. He remembers a lot about Doc at those games, too. He chuckled remembering how Doc went after the refs all the time. Very fond of Jeff Meyer, too.

If we had video of Freddy's buzzer-beater available to us, I fear it might ruin the incredible memories of the moment in my mind. I could swear that shot nearly hit the roof. At least in my memory it did.

Itd be a nice video clip for a future LFSN basketball broadcast (much like when they pulled out SCAR's ETSU dunk a few years back)

Scar,
That 97 team also had D-Hall, one of the best shooters that Meyer never used...