C.A. Core is the only men’s basketball player in the program’s history to have his jersey number retired.
Jonathan Rhodes/The Lion's Roar
Former Lions men’s basketball player C.A. Core was named to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame class of 2017. Core played for the Lions from 1964 to 1968.
Core never averaged less than 20 points a game and averaged the highest scoring average in a single-season in 1965 with 22.3 points per game. Core passed away at age 41 in 1986.
“He is what you would call the icon of Southeastern basketball,” said Larry Hymel, Alumni Athletic Coordinator. “You mention C.A. Core around the state, a whole bunch of people will know that you’re talking about Southeastern basketball, even though it’s been almost 50 years since he played here.”
Core was inducted into the Southeastern Athletics Hall of Fame in 1974 and the Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame in 1980. Core is also the only men’s basketball player to have his jersey, number 34, retired.
“He is still our all-time leading scorer and rebounder,” said Hymel. “His career rebounding arch is one of the best in the state of Louisiana. He averaged over 15 rebounds a game throughout his four-year career. He was the first basketball all-american that we had and he was drafted by both the NBA and ABA, but he went into the service and did not get to play professional ball.”
Core will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on June 24, 2017 along with jockey Calvin Borel, gymnastics coach D-D Breaux, baseball coach Raymond Didier, football player Eddie Kennison, baseball player Juan Pierre, football player Ed Reed and golfer David Toms. The induction ceremony will take place in Natchitoches in the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame Museum.
“He’s been on the table for a good while now,” said Hymel. “He is the eighth Southeastern athlete to be named to the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame and the second Lions basketball player. Queen Brumfield was the first basketball player to be inducted for the Lions.”
Core was not only a great athlete, but a great teammate as well. Former teammate to Core and former Lions head coach, Don Wilson, reminisced about Core as a teammate.
“He was just as good on the court as he was off the court,” said Wilson. “Someone who loved the game of basketball but cared about his teammates like a brother. He had a knack to play basketball. I never played with someone better than him. I didn’t like eight o’clock classes in the morning, but he would come to my dorm and wake me up to make sure I got to class. That is the kind of guy he was.”