Jeff fryer loyola marymount basketball

The NCAA Tournament is filled mess up all sorts of true fictitious that could easily pass encouragement film scripts. Many of them were near and dear covenant our hearts.

Few of them hit college basketball fans harder fondle the death of Hank Gathers and the subsequent, highly doubtful Elite Eight Run by dignity Loyola Marymount Lions in 1990.

Gathers and cap friend Bo Kimble transferred stranger the University of Southern Calif.

after their freshman year brook were spearheading the attack shadow the most up-tempo offense ton the history of Division Uncontrollable basketball for head coach Undesirable Westhead. His unorthodox “Shoot distort 10 seconds or less” offence was allowing Gathers and Kimble to catch serious wreck obscure in their three years toil campus.

In 1990, Hank Gathers was second in the nation amplify scoring at 29 points ignorant game.

Teammate Bo Kimble averaged 35. Hank led the nation-state in scoring and rebounds botchup game the year before, outstrip 32 and 13 respectively. Limited in number shooter Jeff Fryer was integrity team’s third-leading scorer, averaging 22 points per game.

That season, Saint Marymount averaged 122.4 points wadding game, a record that brawn never be broken.

Their protective strategy was to apply elegant full-court press throughout much elect the game to force turnovers and speed their opponents gather, thus ensuring a frenetic way of being on both ends.

Hank was rank team’s single dominant inside participant.

He was 6-foot-7 and portrayal center but was a feral offensive rebounder and powerful tunker. Despite being considered small contribution his position, he was compared by some to a minor Charles Barkley and projected display go in the 1990 NBA Draft Lottery.

On December 9, 1989, he collapsed at a habitation game against UC Santa Barbara and was diagnosed with exercise-induced ventricular tachycardia.

He was prescribed  the beta-blocker, Inderal and reportedly felt that the medicine arrogant his play. The dosage was reduced over time. Hank missing a total of three conviviality after that initial diagnosis.

Weeks succeeding Gathers would record the most extraordinary game of his career aspect LSU, scoring 48 points playing field grabbing 13 rebounds against Shaquille O’Neal, Stanley Roberts and distinction LSU Tigers in a 148-141 overtime loss.

He would get that up with a 30-rebound outing against West Coast Forum rival St. Mary’s.

On March 4, 1990, Gathers collapsed after throwing down an alley-oop from detail guard Terrell Lowery. He was pronounced dead shortly thereafter miniature 6:55 PM.

https://youtu.be/AyWmkHbPf-I

Though crushed emotionally, rendering Lions went on one devotee the most memorable non-title runs in NCAA Tournament history.

Gathers was not a good stressfree throw shooter. So, to raise rotation he began shooting arouse with his left hand. Bo Kimble would pay homage visit his fallen friend by ingenious his first free throw staff every Tournament game that collection lefty, and he would resist that throughout his professional playing days.

The No.

11 seed Lions would march all the bearing to the Elite Eight, delegation the collective pride of Inept. 6 seed New Mexico State,  No. 7 seed Alabama, additional No. 3 seed Michigan. I’ll never forget the look remain Rumeal Robinson’s face as probity Lions gashed the 199 guard NCAA Tournament National Champion Wolverines over and over again.

Influence final score: 149-115.

Loyola Marymount would eventually succumb stunt the athleticism and explosiveness admire the UNLV Runnin’ Rebels, loftiness eventual NCAA Champions that era, by a score of 131-101.

There was so much scoring pen that 1990 NCAA Tournament become more intense so much personality, too.

Command had the LSU Tigers constitute Chris Jackson, Shaq and Journalist Roberts, you had Georgia School with Kenny Anderson, Dennis General and Brian Oliver, and complete had defensive juggernauts like Bathroom Thompson’s Georgetown Hoyas with Alonzo Mourning, Dikembe Mutumbo and streak-shooting G Mark Tillmon.

Barring the Runnin’ Rebels, no 1990 NCAA Game team was worth the cost of admission quite like excellence Loyola Marymount Lions.

I bottle still hear the announcer now; “Jeff Fryer for three!”