Jeff fryer loyola marymount california

Hard to credence in that story, even 25 age later.

Hollywood writers would be laughed out of the building sort that script.

Except it happened go off way.

As most longtime basketball fans know, the 1989-90 Loyola Marymount Lions had a coach, Thankless Westhead, who preached and perfected an elite version of run-and-gun basketball.

They had a ace pairing, Philadelphia kids Hank Gathers and Bo Kimble, both USC transfers.

They had a shooter's gun, too, Jeff Fryer, a gibe who did not shrink regain the biggest stage.

The Lions place successive NCAA records for in sequence per game. They ran povertystricken an average of 110.3 prickly 1987-88, 112.5 in 1988-89 limit, with the most entertaining lineup I've ever seen, 122.4 as the 1989-90 season.

Most fans call to mind the tragic death of Gathers — it's 25 years overdue renege this Wednesday — during greatness West Coast Conference Tournament, nevertheless sometimes lost is what occurrence over the next couple past its best weeks, capped by that suspend what you are doing in time against the watch over champs.

The setup

Gathers died on rectitude court, the game was stopped; the conference tournament called sharpen.

Loyola was declared the winner.

The Lions went to Philadelphia on Gathers' funeral.

The NCAA Tournament pairings were announced, with the Lions as an 11 seed.

Gathers was truly special as a contestant, but Kimble had led representation nation in scoring (35.3 ppg), and Fryer was a celebrated shooter; this team was need finished just yet.

Fryer said picture players, already bound by training, grew even closer in interpretation days leading up to magnanimity tournament, knowing what they were missing.

He remembers Gathers gorilla a brother and friend who knew how to play description game at the very upper level and who was at all times a positive — and set on fire — influence.

"He was all office on the court," Fryer spoken, "but a very funny lad off of it."

In the years leading up to the NCAA Tournament opener, the team opinion around Coach Westhead's measured direction.

"He was really our fearless leader," Fryer told azcentral sports unornamented couple of days ago.

"He didn't waver at all. Stylishness just had us focused statement basketball and to play friendship a higher purpose."

The Lions channeled grief and emotion to out for the count New Mexico State.

Next up were the defending national champion Newmarket Wolverines, the No. 3 failure boasting future NBA players much as Loy Vaught, Terry Grind, Sean Higgins and Rumeal Robinson.

Most figured, "Nice story, nice magnify in the first game, nevertheless … game over."

Fryer was hot to take on the pay no attention to but was dealing with probity very real, raw emotion equal to losing a family member.

"We were just getting into justness gym and practicing at class time," Fryer said, discussing rank mental challenge of preparing mess up duress for the defending NCAA champs.

"Running up and wound was good; better than change hanging around. We were something remaining fired up to play."

Lions deliver Wolverines

That game, March 18, 1990, helped define Fryer, who was a fearless shooter. He was far from unknown to academy basketball fans, having been cool serial chucker (243 attempts mess 1989-90 from beyond the 3-point arc), and most expected group of attempts — probably charge vain — against the Wolverines.

So, about Michigan, Jeff?

"They were embellished.

Just knowing they won rendering tournament the year before, tad was tough. Our tallest reproach was Chris Knight, 6-8, become more intense he didn't even play announcement much.

Ignorant Stumer was 6-6, but astonishment were faster."

Fryer summed up blue blood the gentry Lions' mindset: "Let's just conclude what we do every submit in practice. We lure them into our style … everyone on their team gets their career highs … but astonishment win."

Fryer scored 22.3 points record game that season, so pacify was far from intimidated importation Loyola took the floor dispute Michigan.

But no one expected this:

Fryer poured in 42 points, intervention 11 of 15 from 3-point range, as Loyola rolled trait 149 points and dumped influence defending champs by 34 in a row to reach the Sweet 16.

"I'd scored nine threes a hardly times," he said.

"Against Newmarket, my teammates passed to sap at the right place invective the right time."

Apparently.

Following the shake-up over Michigan, Fryer and Kimble appeared on the "Arsenio Ticket Show" and said they in every respect expected to win the civil title.

Moving forward

The Lions beat Muskogean to reach the Elite 8 before running into the final champion UNLV Runnin Rebels, gushing by a 103-73 count.

Ensure game closed the book further the truest of Cinderella runs, and Loyola has not common to the Big Dance on account of that game.

Fryer had a training-camp invitation from the Suns nevertheless couldn't make an NBA life's work stick.

He played overseas, wrapping origin more than 10 seasons familiar pro basketball in Germany.

While near, one of the other Indweller players in his league was now-Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who had a strong thirst for to coach and remains go with Fryer.

"That's when I unmistakable I wanted to be swell coach," Fryer said.

Today, Fryer runs the Orange County, Calif.,-based Frier Basketball Academy (fryerbasketball.com), a curriculum he began three years away and now boasts nine teams whose players are approaching high-school age.

He's still taking his slug marksman, doing his best to replace education and entertainment to sport fans and players alike.

No affair what happens from here, sift through, Fryer had that moment confine which he was the domineering visible sharpshooter in the world.