SPORTS
Part two: 1974 champ shares season journey
The Bowie News is publishing a letter sent in from David Prater, who was the starting center, co-captain and named to the all-state tournament team on the 1974 Bowie boy’s basketball state title team. The son of Bettie and the late Paul Prater, he wanted to give his first-hand account of that season as a tribute to his Coach Gayno Shelton after the team was featured in the Looking Back series. The letter was published in two parts.
The rest of district was uneventful until the last game. The flu had come to town and half the team was either getting over it or just getting it. Coach decided to play us sick ones only two quarters. I played in the first and third quarters. Lee Ray Massey must not have been sick because he had 38 points and we scored 105 points. It was our only 100 point game.
We next had a “warm up” game at Midwestern against Petrolia. They had beaten us three times. The first time was early in the season while football was going on. The second was at their place, where the clock stopped working and Steve committed a phantom foul as time ran out and they made a free throw to win. The third was at a tournament at Midwestern.
This was my first shot at them. We were the better team. I had just recovered from the flu and this was the only game in my high school or college career that I played every second of the game. This was a close game from start to finish.
We were ahead most of the time, but could never pull away. Near the end I got a defensive rebound, but before I found an outlet, they just took the ball right out of my hands and scored.
In the final minute we were down by two points. I was fouled and missed both free throws. We lost the game by two points. I knew how to play when there was plenty of time on the clock or we were up by 20 points. I had to learn what to do with the game on the line in the closing seconds.
The bi-district game was against Coleman. It was the first time I had heard the rumbling in town. Coleman and Hooks were in the same district. Hooks had beaten Bowie the year before and now Coleman had beaten Hooks, so Coleman must be really good.
Looks like a trip to state was not going to happen. Luckily, the players didn’t see it that way. We beat Coleman by 33 points. Tommy Cannon was leading scorer with 20 points and I had 16 rebounds.
At the regional tournament our first game was against Ferris. I did not have a good game. My shot would not fall as I made 3-9. I did get 13 rebounds. Darwin McKinley had 23 and Lee Ray had 18. We won by 15.
We watched the first half of the game of our next opponent. New Boston with the leaper and Kaufman with the three 6-foot-3-inch farm boys, as my dad called them, on the back of their 2 – 3 zone.
To start the game the leaper moved across the middle of the lane, he jumped for a high pass, went back up and made a soft shot. This guy could jump. By half time though, he was no longer catching the ball in the middle of the lane. The 6-foot-3-inch farm boys were positioned so he was catching it almost at the free throw line and outside his comfortable shooting range.
I was asked who I would rather play against and I said Kaufman. I wasn’t sure I could slow down the leaper. If the farm boys stopped me, then that was okay because each of our other four starters could score 20 points in any given game.
Kaufman couldn’t stop all of us. I got my wish, but the town was rumbling again. If Kaufman could stop the leaper they could stop me and we would not go to state. Had the town forgotten about our other four starters? We were not one dimensional. I was just one of five.
Before each game, my dad would tell me to “get after it.” This was about all he was allowed to say because of my insecurities as a player, any helpful comments were always perceived as criticism by me. I knew I wasn’t very good, I didn’t need reminding. This time he told me, if we wanted to go to state, I had to have a great game. I was going to have to carry the team this game if we were going to win.
Before the game, coach went over a scouting report. It was the first we had ever had. He told me not to put the ball on the floor. I thought, I never do that so not a problem.
The game started, I won the tip and on the first play I got the ball on the block. I did two things I had not done all year: I faked the shot, took one dribble to the middle of the lane and jumped in for the layup. I made the shot, got fouled and made the free throw. The game was close the whole time. We finally pulled away at the end and won by 11 points. I had my first 20–20 game, 25 points and 22 rebounds. After the buzzer sounded we jumped around, high five’d and hugged each other. We were going to state.
Years later at one of the many award ceremonies for coach or one of us players, coach said that was the best playing of a big man in the playoffs he had ever seen. He said “Prater was not going to let the team lose. He made sure we won.” We were barely ahead when I fouled out. In the last two minutes, the team made six free throws and stopped Kaufman from scoring. That’s how you win close games.
We chartered a bus with the team from Petrolia for the trip to Austin. Talk about complete opposites in culture. Petrolia was loud, made rude comments to people in the other cars and played poker on the bus. Some Bowie players finally joined in on the cards, but no one would have dared to make comments to people passing by. I could never see me doing well in the Petrolia culture.
We settled into our hotel rooms. The team had the whole floor so we left our doors open to wander around and visit. A couple of players from another team came to our room and sat down for a visit. They said they were from Bastrop, another 2A team playing in the other bracket. After a visit we wished each other good luck and they left. These “Bastrop” players had big R’s on their letter jackets. Maybe the Refugio players, who were 29–0, weren’t that smart.
A couple of things going on at this time was streaking and Cheech & Chong had an album with a track call “Basketball Jones”. I didn’t see any streakers, but some of the parents did on the UT campus. At the state tournament during time outs or just on the bench, it wasn’t uncommon to hear Coach Jackson singing a little Basketball Jones. Keeping us loose and relaxed as best as we could be.
Refugio, the number one team in the state versus Bowie with five loses, four of them by a total of only seven points. They beat several teams going to the playoffs and some higher division teams. Their press defense was their offense. This worked great against any team that did not have a point guard named Bobby Brashear. One-on-one you could not steal the ball from Bobby. Two-on-one was not much better chance. Of course Tommy Cannon or Lee Ray Massey were pretty good ball handlers, too.
The game started and I think the first six times down on offense Lee Ray and I scored three baskets each. Unfortunately, I had picked up two fouls on the defensive end. I started the second quarter and had three baskets before my third foul. I took a whole 30 seconds in the second half to pick up fouls four and five. Not much help to the team.
Rick Belz stepped in and stepped up his game. His starting the first of the year while I was hurt really paid off now. Darwin had his routine 20 point game and we won by seven points. Funny how the only people not shocked was our team. We were never behind during the second half, something Refugio had not experienced. They did not know how to play with the game on the line at the end.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the mid-week edition of the Bowie News.
The Nocona Indians were able to beat Saint Jo at home on Thursday night in a tight contest.
The Indians won 55-48 against the Panthers in a game where both teams played hard, but made plenty of early season mistakes.
Nocona came into the game following a low-scoring win against Bells earlier in the week 35-30. For a young Indians team that only has a few players with varsity experience this year, every early season win builds confidence.
For Saint Jo, the Panthers were still without several returning starters since football is still going on. Despite that, new Coach Jacob Nocktonick is trying to build what he can with his group of basketball first players that include several key players even when the football team is integrated.
Despite Saint Jo being the smaller school, overall it had the height advantage in the front line since Nocona features only one player, Kasch Johnson, who is built like a post player. That is nothing new for the Indians, who featured a short team the previous year as Coach Brody Wilson emphasizes full-court pressure on defense and pushing the ball in transition in his system that makes up for a lack of height and size.
Initially Nocona’s pace and energy, grabbing several offensive rebounds, got it the lead 9-3. Eventually, the Panthers adjusted and trailed only 12-11 after the first quarter.
Saint Jo got the lead early in the second quarter. Post Trent Gaston took advantage of his size advantage, especially when the Indians had Johnson out, and led 17-12. Both teams had trouble scoring in a rough second quarter as open perimeter shots just were not going in and shots at the rim were tough to convert.
The Panthers led 23-20 heading into halftime.
Both teams had better offensive success pushing the ball when it could in the second half.
Saint Jo broke Nocona’s press and punished the Indians with quick baskets. Nocona ran whenever it could and seemed to put up an array of perimeter shots and drives, getting offensive rebounds it seemed at will to keep the pressure up and infuriate the Panthers coach.
The Indians got a big push from Landon Fatheree in the second half. After scoring eight points in the first half to lead the team, he scored 10 of his team’s 14 points in the third quarter.
Nocona got the lead back, but only led 34-33 heading into the final period.
The Indians had a comfortable lead up 44-36 when Saint Jo’s Gaston fouled out with 4:56 left in the game. Still, the Panthers did not give up and a minute later had whittled Nocona’s lead down to one basket 44-41 with 3:45.
The game stayed a one-possession game for the next two minutes as Saint Jo had several chances to tie or take the lead not go through.
Nocona made its free throws down the stretch to win with a little more comfort, with the final score being 55-48.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News. To see more pictures, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6870682&T=1
Nocona senior Meg Meekins signed her official letter of intent to play college basketball at Lubbock Christian University on Wednesday. Meekins, the daughter of Brandi and Lance, is a four-year starter on the volleyball and basketball court. She has earned several accolades like being named to the All State Teams for TGCA, TABC, Associated Press and was selected to the All Tournament Team at the UIL State Basketball Tournament in San Antonio last year.“The coaching staff and the community of the LCU program and just knowing you have a staff that coaches you, but also looks over you just like Coach (Kyle) Spitzer did here was a huge part in the recruiting process,” Meekins said. She plans to pursue a degree in either physical or occupational therapy.
For more pictures, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6870680&T=1
The Bowie Lady Rabbits got more than they bargained for when they traveled to Bellevue on Tuesday night.
The Lady Rabbits escaped with the win 44-40, taking the lead with less than a minute to go after trailing whole game.
Bowie came into the game confident. The larger 3A school was supposed to play Windthorst, but had to reschedule because the Lady Trojans volleyball team was playing in the state tournament.
Finding a last minute replacement, the Lady Rabbits thought they would have an easy game playing the 1A program down the road. Little did they know.
Bellevue had a couple of players out with injury to limit its depth a bit and a new coach in Celsey Hoffman, but the Lady Eagles were coming off of nearly beating a Nocona team the previous week. While the Lady Indians were missing four starters who were still in volleyball, it still showed this was not a 1A team to take lightly.
Bellevue came out fast showing tough defensive pressure despite giving up size at nearly every position. Within a few minutes the Lady Eagles had used that pressure to force turnovers and convert those steals into transition opportunities.
Also, the energy showed in other areas as Bellevue seemed to grab every loose ball and fought for offensive rebounds despite lacking in height compared to Bowie.
After a little more than four minutes into the game the Lady Eagles led 15-0. The Lady Rabbits had barely been able to set up their offense or attempt a shot against the pressure.
Bowie Coach Matthew Miller had to reset his shell-shocked team during multiple timeouts. The young ballhandlers was reminded how the team was going to break the press defense so it could set up its offense.
Bellevue led 19-4 after the first quarter, led by Mary Grace Broussard and Brittany Gill who each scored six points.
The Lady Rabbits settled down and made some good progress in the second quarter. Their defense switched between man-to-man and 1-3-1 to keep the Lady Eagles off balance. With them taking care of the ball better, there were less chances for Bellevue in transition and the Lady Eagles offense struggled to consistently find ways to score against Bowie’s length.
The Lady Rabbits offense found some success as well. Five different players made at least one basket and the team made two 3-pointers.
While the game was physical from the start, now that Bowie knew what type of game it was in the team responded back. It was not pretty and only enough fouls were called to make the game watchable, but individual foul trouble affected Bellevue harder than the Lady Rabbits in the second quarter.
The Lady Eagles still led heading into halftime, but Bowie had gotten it down to single digits trailing 25-19.
The third quarter was more even between the two teams as both had trouble consistently scoring baskets. Bellevue made three baskets and a couple of free throws to keep ahead.
The Lady Rabbits got a big lift from Lanie Moore, who knocked in all three of her 3-pointers in the quarter, scoring nine of the team’s 12 points.
Bowie still trailed, but had cut the lead down to one point earlier in the quarter and one basket 34-31 heading into the fourth quarter.
Bellevue grew the lead to 38-32 early in the final period. The Lady Rabbits struggled to get anything going offensively and trailed 40-34 midway through the quarter.
Bowie’s Kendall Fallis made a 3-pointer in transition to cut the lead to one basket 40-37.
The score stayed there for the next several minutes even as the Lady Eagles had two starters, Karis Denson and Mattie Broussard, foul out of the game.
With a little more than a minute left, the Lady Rabbits drew up and out of bounds play that got Laney Segura an open shot in the corner. Despite not having made a basket all game, she sunk the 3-pointer to tie the game at 40-40 with a minute still to play.
Bowie had been in a pressure defense for the second half of the fourth quarter to prevent Bellevue from passively running clock. Still in the defense, the team next stole the in-bounds pass and Railey Martin made the undefended layup to give the Lady Rabbits their first lead of the game 42-40 with 48 seconds left.
The Lady Eagles could not tie the score on their next offensive possession. Bowie would made two more free throws to make the final 44-40.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of the weekend edition of the Bowie News. For more pictures from the game, click here https://www.dotphoto.com/go.asp?l=bnews1&AID=6870678&T=1
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