Glory Road Page #7

Shame on us.

WTSM. 1380 broadcasting live

from Seattle, Washington.

Hi. Miners fans. Thanks for joining us

at a packed house in the Pacific Northwest.

The question. Will the Miners, in the last

regular season game here in Seattle.

take the number-one spot

in the NC 2A polls?

Adolph Rupp's fabled Wildcats dropped

a nail-biter to Tennessee last night.

And that will allow the Miners.

if they win here tonight.

to take the number-one spot

in the nation.

Hey. Lattin, you didn't jump high enough

to get toilet paper under your shoe.

The Chieftains go down

for an easy lay-up.

Miners making it a little too easy

for the Chieftains at this point.

Armstrong down low.

Armstrong's wide open. Flournoy looks

down there, will not pass the ball.

He wants to go it alone.

Launches a 20-footer. It's off the mark.

Come on, man. I was wide open.

Hill, we're in orange tonight.

- Come on. Shed, meet the pass.

- Don't worry about me.

The Miners are just playing flat.

Your guy just got by you. Hill.

There's no chemistry, no energy.

It's every man for themselves out there.

They're not playing like a team.

That jump was no good.

- Coach, you're in my chair.

- I like the view better down here.

Eight minutes to play.

and I hate to say this.

but it looks like

our Miners have given up.

They've got only themselves

to blame.

They didn't play together

or find the open man.

and the Miners' perfect season

is slipping away.

Ohh!

You stunk out there tonight!

Squeaky could have played better D

than you did.

And. Shed, are you kiddin' me?

That was the same ol' weak.

scared Shed out there.

Maybe you thought what used to be

an undefeated record meant something.

That we could just waltz

our way in the tournament.

- Maybe these crackers is getting to us.

- Why you looking at me. Bobby Joe?

You a cracker, ain't you?

Coach, the more we win.

the harder it is for us out there.

What do you suggest we do. Shed?

Lose?

Give them what they want?

You think basketball is everything. Coach.

And that's easy for you to say.

But you don't have rednecks

in your face all the time.

None of you white boys get it because you

don't have people breaking into your room

or shoving your head in toilets.

It's not us.

White is white. Green Acres.

and that means you too.

Yeah. I'm white. And you've never been

able to see past that! We're not like them!

Think we haven't had heat

come down on us?

You're the ones out there skating by.

while we're out there sweating blood.

You think it's easy being on this team?

Taking a backseat to you every day?

We came here to play basketball.

just like you guys!

Now it's like we don't even count.

We're the minority!

I don't wanna hear that from you. I have

been the minority every day of my life.

And you're crying because you spent

the last few months in our shadows?

Welcome to the back of the bus.

white boy.

I wish y'all would just sit back here

and listen to yourselves.

It's worse than losing the game.

You've all forgotten what you're doing here.

What do you wanna do?

You wanna quit?

- They're trying to take our dignity from us.

- Your dignity's inside you.

Nobody can take something away from you

you don't give them.

Hey.

Hold your heads up.

Hold your heads up.

You wanna shake off that hate?

It's your choice. Harry Flournoy.

It's your choice. Jerry Armstrong.

Togo.

Cager. Hill, it's your choice.

Shut them up.

Win.

The NCAA Tournament gets off

to a rip-roaring start

as the powerhouse Kansas Jayhawks

take on the upstart Texas Western Miners.

Thank you

for keeping us together.

Lord, we ask that you see us through.

no matter what the obstacles.

No matter how high the mountains.

- Amen.

- Amen.

Let's go, guys.

Let's get this game.

While the Texas Western club has turned

heads across the country with this roster.

it's safe to say that Haskins' experiment

should end tonight.

- Coach?

- You must be Mrs. Cager.

- Thanks for seeing me before the game.

- I know you come a long way, so...

You have too.

You know, you're all he talks about.

"Coach said this" and "Coach said that."

So I said. "Let me meet this man."

Well. Mrs. Cager, your son's

all a coach could ever ask for.

He's hard working, he's unselfish.

Tell you the truth. I wouldn't be here

if it wasn't for Willie.

Mr. Haskins. I came to ask you

to let him play.

Mrs. Cager, the thing is.

his condition is just...

I know about it better than anyone.

This is his time.

These are the last games

he'll ever play.

I don't care if it's just five minutes

or five seconds.

Just... let him play.

Led by all-American JoJo White.

the number-six Jayhawks are, with Duke.

the favorites to challenge Rupp and

Kentucky for basketball's holy grail.

That's the all-American.

All press clippings.

- Think so?

- He's all talk too.

Bobby Joe Hill will set up

the Texas Miner offense in the front court.

Stolen! JoJo White.

Tremendous

anticipation defensively by White.

Easy pass and a dunk.

and a four-nothing Jayhawk lead.

You gotta protect the ball. Hill!

Ball in to Wesley.

He just overpowers Lattin.

Wesley trying to

intimidate Lattin early on in the game.

Defense! Defense!

White extends

the Jayhawk lead to five.

But more importantly

now Kansas has all the momentum.

It looks like Haskins

is going to go to his bench.

He's calling for Willie Cager.

Cager missed

half the season with heart problems.

But the Miners sure could use

a lift right now.

Now Cager

from the top of the key.

It's good!

Hey, welcome home, son! That's a good

play. Cager! Way to be out there!

- That's my son.

- Plays good.

JoJo White

into the front court. 22-footer.

It's good!

Bobby Joe Hill looking to answer

for the Miners.

and he'll score!

And these two point

guards are really putting on a show.

It's JoJo's turn.

from the wing. He looks unstoppable!

And Coach Haskins calls time.

Y'all are paying so much attention

to their jerseys that you're playing tight.

JoJo's having a big night, so I'm making a

change. Armstrong, you're in for Worsley.

Now, if you can stop him, bottom line is

we're gonna win this game.

- Don't worry. I'll take care of him.

- Let's go to work.

On three.

- Let's go, team.

- One, two, three!

Miners!

That's good D, son.

Lattin, back door to Shed.

And he'll lay it in for two.

Here in the second half.

Armstrong has shut down JoJo White.

We need a stop!

We need a stop!

Kansas scores.

and they lead by two!

- Seven seconds! Push the ball!

- Seven seconds!

No time-outs for the Miners!

Long inbound to Lattin.

Back out to Hill. To the basket!

Cager! He got it!

What a play!

He wasn't expected to play tonight.

but he saved the season for the Miners!

Overtime! Hey, you got an overtime!

Hey, get in here! We got an overtime!

And we'll play overtime

to settle this one!

That's the way to go! That's it!

Just seconds remaining.

Artis, up to Lattin.

It's good! And the Miners win!

The Miners win!

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