‘Still fun and goofy’ and ‘I miss having hair’ and ‘such fun memories’ and ‘we were unique’: Catching up with the Bears of 2013-14, and some thoughts(with videos)

March 22, 2024 Central Georgia Sports Report

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

There are two 10-year anniversaries for Mercer beating Duke: Thursday, the date of the game, and Friday, the day the game was played.

The 2013-14 Bears were more than a tight-fit group that got along, more than a team that came together in time to win the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament title and reach the NCAAs and knock out Duke. The sign is that most still communicate on a regular basis, mainly through a group text, but through all forms of social media. Some live near each other, as well as near their former coaches.

The Central Georgia Sports Report sent out questionnaires to members of that team, and got replies from several. Many have taken some trips together. Most are married with kids, many have moved up the ladder in business, some are still playing in foreign lands.

Several mentioned talk of a reunion this summer. Sounds like a good time for a postgraduate intersquad game.

Here, with minor tweaks, are their updates and responses. They type a lot like they sounded 10 years ago.

Monty Brown
Birthday: Nov. 29, 1990
Location: Glenpool, Oklahoma
Job: Plumbing Manager for Quality Heating, Cooling, Plumbing, and Electric. Started plumbing in the winter of 2019 and became Manager March of 2023. I oversee 11 plumbers in charge of diagnosing issues and making repairs/installing equipment.

Since then
2014-15: Moved back to Oklahoma and was a basketball skills trainer in Bixby for almost a year. Got married in 2014. Got my first dog, a Brittany Spaniel named Mic
2015-16: Moved to St. Louis, Missouri to train as a financial advisor for Edward Jones. Got my second dog, a German Shorthaired Pointer named Stella
2016-17: Moved to Florida to take on a financial advising office in Leesburg. Was not able to sustain that line of work, so I moved into warehousing
2017-18: Had my first kid, Easton Montgomery, in Orlando Florida. Worked my way into warehouse management/operations
2018-19: Tumultuous couple of years. Multiple things happened to my family in Oklahoma, as well as myself. Had my second child, Palmer Hobbs, in December 2019, and moved back to Oklahoma
2019-20: Started new construction plumbing work around the Tulsa area. Living back where I grew up, reliving some of the old memories from my adolescent years
2020-21: Plumbed all year long. Set goals for myself to turn things around
2021-22: Plumbed all year long. Set goals for myself to turn things around (and things finally started happening
2022-23: Got my third dog, a Brittany Spaniel named Ruby. She’s been an awesome addition to my fur baby family. Moved up in rank within the plumbing department as field supervisor
2023-24: Was promoted to Plumbing Manager at work. Living with my girlfriend in Glenpool and we are expecting a child this September!
Kids: Easton Montgomery and Palmer Hobbs

In rewatching the game, do you see anything new? Any examples that qualify in the “holy crap, I didn’t see that before” area?

I’ve actually only rewatched in one time in full. With me getting a concussion early on in the Duke game, ultimately ruling me out for the Tennessee game, it was a bittersweet end to my career. As time went on, I could barely remember the Duke game or anything that happened afterwards. I decided to shut the page on that book and look to starting my life and family.

Rewatching the game: What makes you laugh each time? Cringe each time? Call or text somebody to make fun of a play or rave about a play.

I’ve rewatched the end. Watching the celebration of our fans and the team. The historical Nae-Nae that was seen around the world. For that moment, we were on top of the world.

Some of you were back around five years ago for a reunion thing. Since your last season in a Mercer uniform, about how many times have you been back?

I came back a time or two in 2015-2016, and then again in 2019. It’s cool to see the advancement of each sports department and their facilities. I’ve been following the changes made in the past 5 years, and I’m eager to get back and check it out.

See this content in the original post

When you look back at the stories and videos and everything from back then, does anything stand out/come to mind, about you and how different you are (if much different)?

My body definitely felt better back in those days. I was younger and thought I knew exactly what I wanted to do for a career. I was passionate about life and traveling.

Same question, about any teammates:

I’m still really close with Kevin Canevari, who was my freshman year roommate. We’ve both matured and succeeded in different areas of life, but at the core we’re still fun and goofy.

Who from that team have you seen since your eligibility ended?

I’ve seen most of the seniors since we graduated, plus some, at different times. I was just with some of them at Kevin’s wedding this past year

What do you really miss from that year, that spring, from being on that team the most?

The closeness of everyone and the joy of success that year. Lots of hard work and giving up summers to be successful and we did it. I miss living on campus with everyone and always being able to hang out with each other. I took those times for granted.

For those of you not playing professionally, when was the last time you got into a half-court or full-court game? How’d you do? How long to physically recover?

Man, I haven’t played much ball at all. I played a few nights of church pickup in Florida back in 2016, but since then have only dribbled around the house. I have plans to join a men’s league this year or next. We’ll see how that goes!

It’s been 10 years. What have you gotten/taken from that experience, now with years of adulthood and experience behind you?

One of the biggest takeaways from that experience was how much work and dedication it took to succeed at a high level. Everyone had to be zoned in and carrying their own weight. It’s the same for successful business – if you can be a part of a dedicated team of people, the sky is the limit

When was the last time you communicated with Coach Hoffman? With any of the assistants?

I attended an Oklahoma City Thunder NBA game at the end of January and he wasn’t sitting too far from me. He was there with his wife Kelli and we caught up for a few minutes. I’ve seen him a few times throughout the years.

Jake Nelp lives in Tulsa now. His wife is the head coach for Tulsa women’s basketball. I’ve been to his house numerous times on plumbing calls. We still talk about those good years.

Folks forget about the double-OT USC Upstate game, and beating FGCU down there for the conference title. As big as Duke was, those two games were, in so many ways, bigger. Any memories/thoughts etc. that still stick out from either of those games?

I still remember the anticipation and excitement around the FGCU game. From losing to them on our floor the previous year, to now having the chance to do the same to them and make it to the big dance in our senior year. The last couple minutes of the game, the realization that we were going to win and punch our ticket. Such fun memories.

🏀🏀🏀

Jakob Gollon
Birthday: November 7, 1989
Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Job: I am the owner of Gollon Building Company, a design, development, and construction company. We have done or are currently underway on custom homes and large tract/estate development projects all over the state of North Carolina, from the mountains to the beach and all over in between, with offices in Chapel Hill, NC and Highlands/Cashiers, NC (mountains).

Since then
2014-15: Stevens Point, WI, asst. Coach at UW-Stevens Point, 2015 DIII National Champions !!!
2015-16: Aiken, SC, asst. Coach at USC-Aiken
2016-17: Aiken, SC asst. Coach at USC-Aiken (retired from coaching after that season), began career as a Builder/Developer – Gollon Building Company
2017-18: Aiken, SC, moved to Chapel Hill, NC; Owner: Gollon Building Company; Married the love of my life, formerly Jamie Rose Duffy (Mercer volleyball), now Jamie Rose Gollon
2018-24: Chapel Hill, NC; Owner: Gollon Building Company
2020-21: Birth of first child, Jara Rose Gollon (pronounced: YARRA)
2021-22: Birth of second child, Jakob Richard Gollon, Jr.
Married: Jamie Rose Gollon (Duffy), married in 2018; Kids: Jara Rose Gollon, 3, born 10/23/20; Jakob Richard Gollon, Jr., boy, 2, born 02/16/22)

Have you had any contact/conversations with anybody on Duke’s team at the time? Where/when/general details:

I’ve interacted with coaches and players from that team several times since our game. I live about 20 minutes from Duke’s campus, so I actually wind up having conversations with Duke and UNC folks all the time, and they are quite familiar with that game and with our team.

Video from former Macon Telegraph sportwriter Michael A. Lough, now of The Central Georgia Sports Report (one-man band in Raleigh back in early video days)

When did you start getting contacted, media or social or otherwise, about this being the anniversary?

I don’t know that there’s ever been a month since moving to Chapel Hill that somebody doesn’t ask or talk about our team and that game. Living in Chapel Hill, I’ve become somewhat of a social ally to the UNC Tar Heel folks just by way of having beat Duke!

In rewatching the game, do you see anything new? Any examples that qualify in the “holy crap, I didn’t see that before” area?

I have never watched the full game since the day it was played, but even today, when I think back, there are things I come to realize about myself and our team that continue to help me understand and improve at everything I am doing now. We had a very special group of men, and Mercer/Macon was a special place at that time.

Rewatching the game: What makes you laugh each time? Cringe each time? Call or text somebody to make fun of a play or rave about a play?

We still have a group chat, and we share memories and stories with each other all the time. Most of it should probably stay private, but let’s just say we’ve always had a lot of fun together. We’re looking forward to getting back together as a team this summer for the first time in a long time.

Some of you were back around five years ago for a reunion thing. Since your last season in a Mercer uniform, about how many times have you been back?

I’ve only visited a few times, but every time I return, I am thrilled to see how far the school has come since we’ve left. It seems they are still riding that wave, and the momentum hasn’t faded. I hope they continue to improve and grow the way they have thus far.

When you look back at the stories and videos and everything from back then, does anything stand out/come to mind, about you and how different you are (if much different)?

I’m 30 pounds lighter than I used to be, haha. It’s easier on my body that way, considering all of the surgeries/injuries I endured as a player. Outside of that, I’m not much different.

It’s abundantly clear in my life that who I have been over the years, and who I’ve become today is rooted in the time I spent at Mercer and as part of that team and culture. I’m a better man than I was then, and I hope I continue to grow as I have thus far – physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. I was troubled in my youth, but I found myself there, at Mercer, and the foundation for who I wanted to become was conceptualized and realized during those transformative years as a player.

If anyone does consider me a good man today, I have to credit a great deal of it to my years at Mercer, where I spent countless hours toiling and tinkering, training, educating myself, and performing as a member of our basketball team there at Mercer. My Mercer experience is the foundation from which everything I’ve done, and everything I continue to do since, stems from. I am very grateful for what has transpired in my life because of my time there at Mercer and the people that I spent it with.

Same question, about any teammates:

Some guys are getting balder and fatter, but from what I can tell, almost everyone on the team became the men they are today during that time, so I can’t say that anyone seems all that different today than they were when we played, and that’s probably a good thing for each of us.

*Exceptions: I didn’t think it was even possible, but both Kev’s nose and Anthony’s skull have both gotten even larger than they were when we played, a very odd phenomenon.

Who from that team have you seen since your eligibility ended? Who/when/general circumstances? And the last time?

I met up on campus with fellow captain Langston a few years after we graduated and they presented us on behalf of the team at halftime of a game. We’ve all seen each other at life-event gatherings such as weddings. Several guys have taken trips together in smaller groups, but we’ve not all gathered in totality yet, however, I believe we are in the process of planning that for this summer.

What do you really miss from that year, that spring, from being on that team the most?

I, like most former athletes probably do, miss the lockerroom/team environment. It’s very hard to find the sort of experiences that we had as a player/team in the broader world. We were unique amongst sports teams, and even more rare amongst the rest of the world. So, while I can’t say I “miss” much, as I’m not one to look back on things more fondly than I look forward to them, but I do certainly miss our unique team environment.

Y’all are now pre-old old men, having passed 30 and all. Think back to then, and to the current college sports climate, and how much college hoops you watch/keep up with. Mid-majors are always tournament darlings because more players stay longer, and that was clear big thing for y’all. Can you imagine that scenario again? Do you foresee it?

It is not replicable, at least not exactly. No great team ever was. Just like individual people, we are all one-of-one. Our team was one-of-one, but I do hope that every record we set (as a team or as individuals) gets broken by a future Mercer team. It would be a great honor to know that we contributed to even greater future success for the school and teams to come.

For those of you not playing professionally, when was the last time you got into a half-court or full-court game? How’d you do? How long to physically recover?

Even though I passed on a (would-have-been) low salary professional career overseas, I played and practiced daily with the teams I was coaching, and even after I retired from coaching and now, I still play pretty frequently. In fact, I think I might be better now than I ever was, although I don’t have the stamina or strength to do it against college/pro players anymore.

I’m lucky in that I’ve gotten to play pickup at UNC and Duke because of where I live and the proximity to great hoops.

It’s been 10 years. What have you gotten/taken from that experience, now with years of adulthood and experience behind you?

At the time when I first committed to Mercer, 2008 for then coach Mark Slonaker, I envisioned creating a new life for myself, and for my future family, and it all started with the idea that I could do so if I committed myself to it and then worked tirelessly for a long, enduring time-period (6 years it would eventually be), and come out the other side successful.

My time there confirmed for me the true value in pursuing excellence in everything we do, every day, and not just for a short while, but over a long and enduring journey – for months, and years at a time. It’s not always about how you acted or responded, but what you consider to be your culture and character, and how staying true to that will keep you moving in the right direction over the long-haul.

When was the last time you communicated with Coach Hoffman? With any of the assistants?

I’ve spoken periodically with Coach Hoffman over the phone/text, and have had contact, although minimally with others on the staff, but we’ve been in touch still.

Those games are special to us, essentially, because we DO NOT share them with the broader public like we do the Duke game. Those victories were just as meaningful to us, of course, because they had to be the most important games of that time in order to get to the Duke game. Very few people know what it was like there down the stretch for our team, but we do.

🏀🏀🏀

TJ Hallice
Birthday: Jan. 25, 1992
Location: Wichita, KS
Job: Sales & Marketing, ATG Sports

Since then
2014-15: Senior year at Mercer
2015-16: D league, plus Lakeside Lightning (Australia), averaged 20 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists
2016-17: First job after college at Enterprise
2017-18: Experience Guide at EchoPark Automotive, promoted to manager
2018-19: Married my wife, Chelsea Hallice. She had a daughter and that 3-year-old became my daughter
2019-20: Moved to North Carolina
2020-21: My son Tripp Hallice was born on August 20, 2020.
2021-22: Promoted to Head of Finance of EchoPark Raleigh
2022-23: My daughter Hallie Hallice was born December 12, 2022; Promoted to Head of Sales in Atlanta
2023-24: Moved to Wichita, Kansas to grow my brother-in-law’s family company; found out we are expecting out fourth child in late March Update: Stevie Lynne joined the world fittingly on the 10-year anniversary, on Thursday
Married: Chelsea Hallice on Oct. 19, 2019; Kids: Nora Jane, ; Timothy John III (Tripp), 3; Hallie Joy, 1; Stevie Lynne – coming soon!

A trip down Memory Lane
Mercer wins double-overtime thriller against USC Upstate
A-Sun Conference championship: Lights out for FGCU
Column: Don’t be surprised if Mercer causes problems for Duke
The Macon paper, which covers Mercer closely, is all but promising a Mercer victory, and part of that will be shutting down Parker.
Bracket-busting Mercer dumps Duke
There was celebration

Have you had any contact/conversations with anybody on Duke’s team at the time? Where/when/general details:

No conversations, but Bud and I were on the Duke campus a few years ago during the time Duke was hosting reunions. We proudly wore our Mercer gear with many people noticing.

In rewatching the game, do you see anything new? Any examples that qualify in the “holy crap, I didn’t see that before” area?

I haven’t watched it recently. My life is centered around my wife and kids!

Some of you were back around five years ago for a reunion thing. Since your last season in a Mercer uniform, about how many times have you been back?

I haven’t been back since they got rid of Coach Hoffman.

When you look back at the stories and videos and everything from back then, does anything stand out/come to mind, about you and how different you are (if much different)?

It makes me thankful for my time and how far we all have come since leaving.

Same question, about any teammates:

Just how thankful I am for them.

What do you really miss from that year, that spring, from being on that team the most?

I was a junior during the seven-senior era, but they laid a great foundation for our program. Our culture was one of the best in the country.

I hope one day that my son can go dancing and win more than 1 game!

For those of you not playing professionally, when was the last time you got into a half-court or full-court game? How’d you do? How long to physically recover?

My brother-in-law and I are in a men’s league. It was the first time I played since Bud and I were in one about 4 years ago.

It’s been 10 years. What have you gotten/taken from that experience, now with years of adulthood and experience behind you?

Coach Hoffman taught me more about life than basketball. I credit much of my success after basketball to Coach Hoffman, Coach E, Coach Wright, & Coach Nelp.

When was the last time you communicated with Coach Hoffman? With any of the assistants?

I live closer to Coach Hoffman now. I was able to go to two of his games this year. It brought me way back watching him coach. It made me grateful that he was my coach for 4 years.

Those games were amazing to be apart of and compete with my brothers.

🏀🏀🏀

Darious Moten
Birthday: Aug. 9, 1992
Location: Neuchatel, Switzerland
Job: Professional basketball player

Since then
2014-15: Senior year at Mercer, first team All-SoCon
2015-16: Svendborg, Denmark; played my first professional season with the Svendborg Rabbits
2016-17: Second season in Svendborg; Summer of 2017, played in Bolivia for La Salle de Tarija
2017-18: Espoo, Finland, played for Espoo United
2018-19: Bremerhaven, Germany, played for the Eisbaren Bremerhaven; got engaged in the winter and married June 22 to my wife and Mercer alumni Amber Moten (Fountain)
2019-20: Turku, Finland, played for Ura Basket until March of 2020; Sopot, Poland, played for Trefl Sopot for one game before season was ended due to COVID (my wife and I stayed in Poland for the summer and did not return home that year)
2020-22: Sopot, Poland, re-signed with Trefl Sopot; Son Rami Jibri Moten was born in Gdansk, Poland
2022-23: Olomouc, Czech Republic, played for BC Olomouc until March 2023; re-signed with Trefl Sopot
2023-24: Neuchatel, Switzerland; currently playing for Union Neuchatel

Have you had any contact/conversations with anybody on Duke’s team at the time? Where/when/general details:

I had a brief conversation with Quinn Cook at a pick-up game or workout, not sure which, about it.

A trip down Memory Lane
A weekend too good for words
Former Mercer players return to honor Jibri Bryan
Catching up with the man who launched 1,000 GIFs
Column: A year later
Five years after taking the program and school national, Bob Hoffman is out at Mercer after fourth losing season in 11
Happy 5th Birthday to Mercer 78, Duke 71: so much happened leading up to the win, much has happened since, the weekend too good for words

In rewatching the game, do you see anything new? Any examples that qualify in the “holy crap, I didn’t see that before” area?

I honestly don’t watch the game that often. I think I might have seen the game five times. Nothing really stands out to me because everything we did and executed in that game just felt like more of what we had been doing for 4 years up to that point.

Rewatching the game: What makes you laugh each time? Cringe each time? Call or text somebody to make fun of a play or rave about a play.

Nothing too crazy really happened in this game outside of us beating Duke. What does get brought up from time to time though is me getting dunked on and put on Top 10 in the conference championship game against FGCU.

Since your last season in a Mercer uniform, about how many times have you been back?

I'm in Macon quite often because my wife graduated from Mercer and worked at L.H. Williams Elementary for three years after she graduated. My wife’s sister also graduated from Mercer Law and I have an aunt and cousins who live in Macon. So we have many friends and family who live there. Some of the faculty and staff recognize me because they were there when we were but a lot has changed on campus since 2015.

When you look back at the stories and videos and everything from back then, does anything stand out/come to mind, about you and how different you are (if much different)?

I miss having hair.

Same question, about any teammates:

I just miss hanging out with them. They’re some of the best teammates/friends/brothers I've ever had and I miss just being around them

Who from that team have you seen since your eligibility ended?

I’ve seen most of the older guys who were the same age or who graduated with me. Some guys I see a lot more often because they live closer (Atlanta area) than others. Weddings have been the most common occurrences of meeting up or just whenever we’re in the same city we try to link up.

I honestly hate watching college basketball. It's boring and slow to me, but I think with the addition of NIL, it might be harder for you to see teams like us be able to keep guys for four years the way we did. I think what will happen instead is that the more wealthy “mid-majors” will start to become more perennial powerhouses. Basically just more Gonzagas.

We owned Upstate, so honestly we never felt we would lose that game to them. As far as the FGCU game, I got put on Sportscenter Top 10, so that stood out to me.

Anybody from either of those two teams you’ve communicated with at all over the years?

I played against Bernard Thompson (he put me on SportsCenter) two years ago in FIBA Europe Cup when he played for a team in Kyiv.

🏀🏀🏀

Bud Thomas
Birthday: April, 22, 1992
Location: Castle Pines, Colo.
Job: Automotive finance manager

Since then
2014-23: Highlands Ranch, Colo., working for Echopark Automotive
2016-17: Bought a condo in Parker, Colo., working for EchoPark Automotive
2021-22: Bought a house in Castle Pines, Colo. still with EchoPark
2022-23: Castle Pines, left EchoPark for finance director at Volkswagen dealer
2023-24: Castle Pines and current VW job

In rewatching the game, do you see anything new? Any examples that qualify in the “holy crap, I didn’t see that before” area?

The first time I re-watched it, I couldn’t believe we were only up three when I threw the pass to Ant. I thought it was a two- possession game, but a turnover would have been very costly. Never had a doubt and would do it all over again. The other piece I think people forget is that Duke played very well that game. Quinn Cook with 7 3’s, Sulaimon with 5 3’s, they shot over 40 percent from 3 and 92 percent from the line. We battled with the best and did more than hold our own!

Rewatching the game: What makes you laugh each time? Cringe each time? Call or text somebody to make fun of a play or rave about a play.

The Lang/Coursey pick ‘n roll. And one dunk gives me chills everytime. So many countless hours of running that play, and Lang having so many options coming off the pick ‘n roll: shoot it, hit Coursey, hit myself or Ant for a 3 if our man leaves. Lang, of course, makes the right read and Coursey finishes it! The bench goes nuts. A great summary of our brotherhood and culture summed up in one play.

Some of you were back around five years ago for a reunion thing. Since your last season in a Mercer uniform, about how many times have you been back?

I have been back twice I believe. A little harder for me out here in Colorado. Saw the president, who is always so supportive and such a good guy.

When you look back at the stories and videos and everything from back then, does anything stand out/come to mind, about you and how different you are (if much different)?

I think I’m very much the same me that I was back then. Obviously have learned so much and grown, but the root of who I am and what makes me me is the same. I knew it was one of the most enjoyable stretches I would have in my life and did my best to not take that for granted.

Same question, about any teammates:

It makes me realize that despite almost everyone being seniors, we were just kids who loved to play ball and, most importantly, all wanted to win. It sounds cliche, but truly at the end of the day, we didn’t care who scored what or what the stats looked like, if we won, we knew it was mission accomplished.

Who from that team have you seen since your eligibility ended?

Kev is out here in Colorado, so I see him often. I went to Vegas with Ant and Lang a couple of times. Coursey has come out to Colorado. Saw most of the squad at Lang’s wedding last year. Same with Jake’s wedding and TJ’s wedding. We do a very good job of keeping in touch and doing what we can to see each other despite our different locations. We took two fun cruises back in 2016 and 2017 that were a blast!

What do you really miss from that year, that spring, from being on that team the most?

It was truly like living out a dream. As a young kid who loves basketball, March Madness is what it’s all about. To experience that is hard to put into words. But being on the Mercer campus, living with your best friends, with no bills, and the only responsibilities are to hoop and get good grades, it was unbelievable. I really miss beating Kev in FIFA and all the other friendly competitions we had. There is nothing like it.

While maybe not very often, I think it has been and will continue to be replicated. The key is the people. Can a program get five coaches and 15 players to truly buy in to winning if it means some players being completely selfless? That’s exactly what we had. And we had been molded over the four years. It doesn’t happen overnight. The Duke game gets all the publicity, rightfully so, but wins over Georgia Tech, Tennessee, Florida State, Ole Miss, Seton Hall, Alabama, don’t happen by accident. That doesn’t include the CIT stretch against the best mid majors in the country. It takes the right people with the right mindset, and there are SO many talented players, that senior-led mid-majors can and will compete.

For those of you not playing professionally, when was the last time you got into a half-court or full-court game? How’d you do? How long to physically recover?

I played some rec league for a while up until three years ago, tore my Achilles and promised myself I was done! Surgery and a long recovery. Played with Kev and we won about three or four championships in a row! Now it’s all golf for me.

It’s been 10 years. What have you gotten/taken from that experience, now with years of adulthood and experience behind you?

College sports teaches you more about life than anyone realizes. You are spending six days a week trying to perfect your craft, both as a team and individually, and it has given me a huge leg up in the real world when it comes to work and getting where you want to be. From that Duke game specifically, I think it shows that the hard work you put in, the late nights, the empty gyms, the desire to be successful when no one is watching, it will pay off when the lights are on and you can trust the work you put in.

When was the last time you communicated with Coach Hoffman? With any of the assistants?

I touch base with Hoffman occasionally, for birthdays, holidays, his continued success in his coaching career. I am beyond grateful for everything he taught me about basketball and life. Same thing with assistants. Social media has been very beneficial in that sense.

I think our A-Sun conference was extremely underrated and our teams flew under the radar, especially in those final two years for us. Extremely talented players, great coaches, and they led to some amazing games.

The championship at Gulf Coast was probably the most satisfying victory of my college career. The fact it was on their home court, our fans traveled so well, a trip to the big dance was on the line. Being a senior, there was no next year, and we knew what we deserved, and it was do or die. Obviously, the magnitude of the Duke game on a national level was unmatched, but that FGCU game for me was the top dog.

Anybody from either of those two teams you’ve communicated with at all over the years?

Briefly kept in touch with some of the FGCU guys, and we pieced together a little team in the TBT shortly thereafter but it has been several years for me.

🏀🏀🏀

Anthony White Jr.
Birthday: July 29, 1992
Currently: Assistant Coach, Charleston Southern

Since then
2014-15: Australia, Geelong Supercats/State Farm Insurance
2015-16: State Farm Insurance; basketball coach, Lincoln Middle School; individual basketball training
2016-17: State Farm Insurance/ basketball coach, Lincoln Middle School; individual basketball training
2017-18: State Farm Insurance/ basketball coach, Lincoln Middle School; individual basketball training
2018-19: State Farm Insurance/Dec. 2018, Earlham College, assistant basketball coach
2019-20: Earlham College, asssitant basketball coach (most wins by the team in 15 years; had a player lead the NCAA (regardless of division) in 3-point shooting percentage; team led NCAA D-III in 3-point percentage)
2020-21: Sept. 2021, Ferrum College assistant basketball coach (first time making it to conference tourney semifinals in 5 years)
2021-24: Charleston Southern, assistant basketball coach
Married: Charleston Southern head women’s coach Clarisse White in August of 2023

Have you had any contact/conversations with anybody on Duke’s team at the time?

Rodney Hood came to Indianapolis to workout with my trainer and Gordon Hayward in 2015.

In rewatching the game, do you see anything new? Any examples that qualify in the “holy crap, I didn’t see that before” area?

Me missing the first alley-oop layup to start the game makes me cringe every. Single. Time. Coursey not dunking the ball but it being more of a power layup and then he runs down the court beating his chest like he dunked on somebody makes me laugh every time.
Several of you were back for a reunion after five years. How many times have you been back?

Other than the reunion I had been back to Mercer twice. Both times within the past year. The campus is so different. It’s awesome to see what we helped build.

When you look back at the stories and videos and everything from back then, does anything stand out/come to mind, about you and how different you are (if much different)?

I am now bald so that sticks out (lol). I feel like I haven’t changed much other than that!

Same question, about any teammates:

It is just great to see how everybody has grown. The spouses we have and the families we have grown. Life looks good on everybody.

Who from that team have you seen since your eligibility ended?

I’ve seen just about everybody on various occasions. Weddings mostly. A couple of trips a long time ago to Vegas. Now whenever we get to see each other we do!

What do you really miss from that year, that spring, from being on that team the most?

I miss being around my brothers all the time. The transfer portal in college basketball is robbing these young men of the bonds that we created with each other at Mercer. It’s sad.

With the portal, there will not be another team that has had players stick together. We started five seniors every game. That can happen, but the seniors will most likely all come from different schools.

For those of you not playing professionally, when was the last time you got into a half-court or full-court game? How’d you do? How long to physically recover?

I got to practice with the guys at CSU multiple times this year. When I first practiced, I was super sore. I quickly realized that I am no longer a Division 1 athlete (haha)

It’s been 10 years. What have you gotten/taken from that experience, now with years of adulthood and experience behind you?

Stick with it. You don’t always get instant satisfaction even if you work hard.

When was the last time you communicated with Coach Hoffman? Or assistants?

I spoke with Hoff on the phone while on a recruiting visit. I got a chance to meet another coach that worked under him. Every time I speak with Hoff, he is in great spirits! I talk to Coach Esleeck a ton. He just won a state championship at Forsyth (N.C.) Country Day! Coach Wright and Coach Nelp I don’t talk to as much but I always enjoy when I get a chance to. I talk to Eaker every now and then also! He is doing an amazing job out there at Oklahoma Baptist.

Folks forget about the double-OT USC Upstate game, and beating FGCU down there for the conference title. As big as Duke was, those two games were, in so many ways, bigger.

The atmosphere of the Upstate game is one I will never forget. Shoutout to TJ for his performance in crunch time!

Anybody from either of those two teams you’ve communicated with at all over the years?

I have talked to Brett Comer from FGCU a couple of times a year. He is an assistant at Stetson so I try to keep up with him. They are actually going dancing this year for the first time in school history. He’s doing a great job. I have talked to Chase Fieler from FGCU probably once a year when I see him on social media.

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Coaches

Head coach Bob Hoffman
Hoffman took over at Division II Central Oklahoma, and has had three straight 20-win seasons, twice reaching the NCAA D-II tournament. The Bronchos have spent plenty of time ranked, including in the top 5. He won his 600th game as a men’s head coach in early December, and is 94-53 at Central Oklahoma.

Assistant coach Doug Esleeck
Esleeck spent three years as an assistant coach/associated head coach, and has been head coach and athletics director at Forsyth Country Day School in Lewisville N.C. since 2020-21. The school won its first state title in 40 years earlier this month.

Assistant coach Spencer Wright
Wright coached at Florida International for three seasons, took a break from coaching in Florida, and has been an assistant at Fort Valley State since the second semester of the 2021-22 season.

Assistant coach Jake Nelp
Worked at Synergy Sports, and now is a freelance graphic designer in Tulsa. Wife Angie was a Mercer women’s assistant, and coached at Rice and Arizona State before taking over the Tulsa women’s program in 2021, owning a 47-32 record.

Assistant coach Jason Eaker
Eaker became head coach at Oklahoma Baptist – Hoffman’s alma mater - head coach after leaving Mercer, and is 99-70.

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Players (didn’t receive an email answer, except partial reply from Matt Panaggio)

James Bento
Lives in Houston, Texas, and is engaged.

Lawrence Brown
Briefly attended Missouri Southern State after Mercer.

D.J. Brooks
Brooks left Mercer and played at North Greenville, and is now a real estate investor in Greenville, S.C.

Kevin Canevari
The dancing machine is married to Kylee Canevari; spent some time in coaching after Mercer before entering business; now works in IT in Denver

Daniel Coursey
Coursey spent some time in the NBA’s Summer League and D-League before entering Mercer’s physician’s assistant program in Atlanta.

Langston Hall
Hall was undrafted by the NBA, but spent some time with the Miami Heat and its summer-league team. Soon, though, he began a career in Europe and is still playing, currently in Greece. He is married, and he and his wife recently had a child.

Philip Leonard

John Mosser
Mosser lives in the Raleigh-Durham area and is in finance.

Ike Nwamu
The electric dunker transferred to UNLV, then played in the NBA D-League for two seasons and then the G League, also competing in Europe for several years.

Matt Panaggio
He transferred to Henderson State in Arkansas, and has been at the DME Academy since 2018-19. He’s currently the national team head coach and director of basketball at the academy, living in Ormand Beach, Fla., married with two kids.