DECATUR -- For head coach Fess Thompson, the first annual Building the Bulldogs Basketball Legacy Day could not have been more successful as around 100 Bulldog basketball athletes and alumni gathered in Peterson Gym on Saturday for a day of fun and games.
Starting out the day of Bulldog basketball madness were the fifth- and sixth-grade boys' and girls' youth teams coached by Stacy Brooks and Thompson in a blue-white matchup. This was Decatur basketball fans' first look into the future of the program. Although the scores during the contest were low, both teams battled it out defensively with several turnovers and stolen balls going back and forth. A total of seven points were scored through the entire 12-minute contest.
The junior high boys played two 12-minute halves in the next contest of the afternoon. One future Bulldog star emerged from this contest. Freshman Deegan Brooks made several blocks, rebounds and points for the blue team. However, the white team held the lead by one at the end of the single-half game.
Up next were the Decatur alumni women against the 2019-20 Lady Bulldogs in a single 15-minute half. Try as they did, the alumni had a hard time keeping up with the younger team and the Lady Bulldogs took the win by a bunch.
After the Lady Bulldogs played its blue-white scrimmage game, the men's alumni took their places on the court. Ten members of the 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 district championship teams returned to face each other in the 24-minute contest. The white team was led by legendary Decatur basketball star Mario Urquidi, while brother Victor led the blue squad.
Joining the legends of Decatur basketball was the team's elder statesman Nelson Amos, who played with the Bulldogs in 1968. Amos served as the sixth man on the white team and put up a strong showing during his time on the court. Mario's white team took the contest by seven.
The final contest of the night showcased the 2019-20 Bulldog boys' team in a blue-gold scrimmage. It was Decatur basketball fans' first look at the new team which opens its season Nov. 14 in a 7 p.m. contest at Peterson gym.
The 2019-20 Lady Bulldog team opens its season on Nov. 14 in a 6 p.m. contest.
The first legacy event was the big success that Thompson had hoped for. With the lessons learned during this day of basketball, Thompson can move forward to make next year's Building the Bulldog Basketball Legacy an even bigger and better day of roundball fun.
Sports on 11/13/2019