Several Southeastern alumni and former basketball players found themselves taking their own personal trip down memory lane in the University Center Friday, Feb. 4. Southeastern held the annual Lady Lions Legends basketball game, an event that welcomed all former Lady Lions to lace up their sneakers and try to recapture the glory of past days.
Twenty-five players were split into two teams, the Gym Gems, and the Rockin’ Robins. Among the players on these teams were recent graduates, such as Adonna Weaver, class of ’09, and Charinee “Chi” Mitchell, class of ’09. Others dated farther back, such as Toni Clark (Stepter), class of ’83, and Sandra Short (Nava), class of ’82. Coaches for the Gym Gems were Sandy Puckett (Keenan), and current Lady Lions head coach Lori Davis Jones. The Rockin’ Robins were led by former head coach of the Lady Lions Frank Schneider, and a graduate assistant under in the Schneider era, Melanie McMahon.
The game opened with a jump ball won by the Rockin’ Robins, which was turned over several times before a bucket was made by the Rockin’ Robins. After that, points were at a premium, and scoring was few and far between through the first half, with the scoring going into halftime being all knotted up at 17-17.
The second half was largely controlled by the Gym Gems, and the final score ended up being 41-33, with the Gym Gems being victorious.
Throughout the game, the officiating was brought into question on several occasions, but all in good fun. The referees, Mayor Mayson Foster, 21st Judicial District Attorney Scott Perrilloux, and Southeastern Alumni Association President – Elect Gayle Neal, were under constant scrutiny from both benches and were accused multiple times of “choosing sides” during the contest.
The onslaught of jokes, teasing, laughter and all around gaiety didn’t stop after the final buzzer sounded, either.
“Oh, of course I called a fair game! I’m a fair guy. I mean, both coaches were yelling at me, so that means it all comes out okay,” said Mayor Foster.
Frank Schneider, coach of the losing Rockin’ Robins, felt robbed of a win by the referees.
“I thought they were paid off, and that’s just the way it is, my whole life,” said Schneider, sarcastically.
Still, some players were happy to return to the hardwood one more time.
“It felt great to come back and play on this court with a bunch of people who played before me,” said Adonna Weaver.