' he 1986-1987 basketball season was like a roller coaster ride for the Bisons. Early season play was uphill and slow. But, as the Harding team rolled into the second round of AIC play in February, it began to gel. By season's end, the Black and Gold had grabbed a spot in the eight-team NAIA District 17 tournament, and when the last horn sounded in the championship game of the tourney, it was Harding that cut down the nets. "This year was a dream season for us," said Head Coach Jess Bucy after snatching his first ever District 17 title and trip to the NAIA national tournament in Kansas City, MO. Although top-seeded Virginia State beat Harding in the opening round of the national tourney, sweet memories dotted the road that the Bisons tread on the way to its first trek to nationals. Retelling the district semi-final story ofjunior point guard Tim Smallwood's seven three-pointers conjured sweet memories for 1500 Bison fans that stole the home court advantage from the University of Central Arkansas by making the trip to Conway. Freshmen guard Corey Camper's 23-foot prayer shot to win with five seconds left in the game fell silence on the crowd. The final buzzer broke the stillness as the ball fell through. UCA fans were statues , mouths dropped wide while Harding fans stormed the court to help cut the nets. It took no time for the win to sink in. Dwight Smith, campus minister for the College Church, ran about hugging every Harding student he knew, and some he didn't know. As the caravan peeled away from the UCA campus, the cries were heard, "It's track season in Conway!" Harding was on its way to M~gnolia, AR, where the Black and Gold knocked off Southern Arkansas University 67-54 for the District 17 crown. That was the team's ticket to Kansas City, where they were stung in the first round by national ru,nner-up West Virginia State. As a walk-on, freshman Reid Hayward played in a few games, but reaped Ollie Northlike support from Harding fans every time he stepped on the court. They loved him, as they loved the Bisons. - Greg Taylor Men's Basketball team. Front row: Wood, Thomas, Wright, Camper, Smallwood, Hayward, Washington. Back row: Bucy - coach , Boyd - assistant coach, Goff, Collins, Cotter, Garcia, Bradley, Johnson - trainer, Houston - trainer. - photo by Ken Bissell. 12 0 Athletics 0 Men's Basketball Men's Basketball 1988 AIC MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM POIN1S Ark. Tech University ....... . 14-4 Univ. of Central Arkansas .. . . 12-6 Univ. of the Ozarks ......... 12-6 Southern Ark. University . .... 11 -7 Henderson State University . . . 10-8 Harding University .... ... .. 8-10 Arkansas College . .... . .... . 7-11 Ouachita Bapti st University .. . 7-11 Hendrix College . . .. ........ 6-12 Univ. of Ark . at Monticello ... 3-15 "Just talking to this man gives you a yearning to play basketball." Coach Jess Bucy though calm on the side line, is always excited about the sport. - photo by Bill Tripp.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTc5NA==