McNeese State University - Log Yearbook (Lake Charles, LA)

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when Batiste did rejoin the squad — January 5 — the Pokes were in high gear. The final two victories of that early winning streak were triumphs on the road against Arkansas State and Lamar. Batiste was to re-injure his foot once again January 31. He was not to return until Feb- ruary 16. But, during that stretch the Cowboys ran off four victories, three of them in league games. At the end of the regular Domination season McNeese was as strong as any team in the South, polishing off Lamar in overtime, taking the measure of North Texas State by 19 points, and cracking the cen- tury mark against Texas-Ar- lington. It was fitting that at the end of the regular season, the NCAA's computer power-rank- ing listed the Cowboys as playing the 46th toughest schedule in the nation, the highest mark of any Southland or Louisiana school. Also during the year Dumars became the most decorated basketball player in the univer- sity's history, and for his en- deavors, he had the honor of having his jersey number re- tired. No one will ever again wear Dumars’ No. 4 just as no one will again wear the No. 33 that All-American Bill Reigel wore (1954-56), or the No. 34 of Frank Glenn (1954-57) or the No. 25 of Stan Kernan (1957- 60). Dumars’ talent lay not only in putting the ball into the } hoop, but also in playing the full ‘'94’’ foot game, being. equally adept as a ball handler and a defensive player. | That's one of the reasons re- | presentatives of 15 profes- | sional teams were on hand | one day in January in the Lake | Charles Civic Center to watch | him put on his show. | All scouts projected him as | continued : 1984-85 Basketball Schedule | } Southern MS 74-56 L Jan. 21 East TX St 81-57 W Jan. 24 Washburn U. 75-68 W Jan. 26 IL-Chicago 82-69 L Jan. 31 Wichita St 60-56 W Feb. Chicago St 68-57 L Feb. San Diego St 91-85 L Feb. NV-Las Vegas 84-73 L Feb. St. Thomas 92-56 W Feb. Sul Ross 90-60 W Feb. SE LA 86-68 W Feb. AR St 76-70 W Feb. Lamar 84-73 W Mar. NE LA 84-77 L Mar. 8 SW LA LA Tech North TX St TX-Arlington SE LA AR St SW LA NE LA LA Tech Lamar North TX St TX-Arlington North TX St Lamar Se Ss SSS SS 1984 Coaching Staff Glenn Duhon Billy Brown Denny Wright Butch Sigler Jim Dorotics Head Coach Assistant Coach Front row, left to right: Ronald Sykes, Girard Harmon, James Cain, Elroi Simon, Quentin Cotton, John Wesley, Joe Dumars. Second ‘row: Kinney Jimmerson, Grant Westerchill, Keith Kelly, Ronald Cox, Guy Mcinnis, Mike Marshall. — Back row: Jerome Batiste, Darrell Coslin, Chris Hardin, George © Kearse. (Photo by G. Little) a Trainer 128 Sports Ges

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With heroic efforts by the Cowboys, McNeese placed second in the Southland Conference by Domination The basketball team’s 1984- 85 season has to be consid- ered one of the best in the his- tory of the university. Not only did the team finish with an 18- 10 overall record, but it also won second in the Southland Conference, and featured one of the nation’s top seniors. ' Joe Dumars, considered by many to be the top guard in the nation, was the squad's Pacesetter. He was capably Supported by other players such as seniors Chris Hardin and Guy Mclinnis, juniors Gi- rard Harmon and Kenny Jimer- son, and sophomores Jerome Batiste and George Kearse. The entire complement of players included senior John Wesley and freshmen Grant Westerchil, Quinten Cotton, El- roi Simon, James Cain and Jody Frey. From an inauspicious start — with both Dumars and Ba- tiste sidelined with broken Dones — the Cowboys went on to be one of the most win- ning teams in the South over the last two months of play. Beginning in January — with both Dumars and Batiste healthy once again — the Cowboys won 15 of their last 20 games, climaxing the sea- son by competing as the sec- ond-place team in the South- land Conference tournament. Guy Mclinnis, a senior accounting major from Chalmette, unloads one from the wing. McInnis’ game high, 14 points, came against the Eagles of North Texas State. (Photo by G. Little) Even more impressive was the fact that with both Dumars and Batiste in the starting line up, the Cowboys were 13-4 for the year. During the course of the season several firsts came the Cowboy’s way; and but for a layup here, a rebound there, McNeese might be enjoying time in the SLC trophy-room right now. The Cowboys finished only two games in back of league champion Louisiana Tech. Two of McNeese's three league losses came at the hands of the Bulldogs — the title clinched on a last-second tip-in by the Bulldogs in a 59- 58 victory in Ruston. The regular season found the Cowboys sweeping series from such staunch rivals as La- mar and SW Louisiana, and at two different times putting to- gether five-game winning streaks. Also, of the ten losses McNeese absorbed, five came at the hands of teams that competed in the NCAA tourna- ment and four were to oppo- nents in the final Associated Press Top Twenty Poll. Because Dumars and Ba- tiste were both sidelined with broken bones for the Nov. 27 season opener, the year’s start was suspect at best. The result was an 18 point loss to Southern Mississippi. Dumars made it back for the next game and began to take charge, but in the month of De- cember, McNeese’s record read three victories and five losses. In January, the Cowboys be- gan to pick up steam. The six- foot nine-inch Batiste was still sidelined but Hardin, Kearse, Jimerson and Mcinnis began to pick up the slack. The team went on a five- game winning streak, and continued Basketball 127

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Being a freshman means limited on- court action, so Leesville native, Grant Westerchil hustles for the re- bound against the Lobos of Sul Ross. (Photo by G. Little) In his eighth season as Cowboy head coach, Glenn Duhon led the Cowboys to a second place finish behind Louisiana Tech in the South- land Conference. (Photo by G. Ed- wards) Trainer Jim Dorotics and student trainer Andy Sonnier examine Ron- ald Cox's knee after a collision with a Southern Mississippi player in the home season opener for the Pokes. (Photo by G. Little) Basketball 129