| |
| |
|
|
R E S O L U T I O N
|
|
|
WHEREAS, The Baylor University men's basketball team brought |
|
|
further acclaim to the university and to the State of Texas with its |
|
|
inspired play during the 2009 postseason, making a dramatic run |
|
|
through the National Invitational Tournament to play for the title; |
|
|
and |
|
|
WHEREAS, To set the stage for its NIT success, the Bears |
|
|
performed exceptionally well in the Big 12 championship tournament |
|
|
in Oklahoma City in mid-March; they reeled off three successive |
|
|
wins, including a 71-64 upset of Kansas, the conference's |
|
|
top-seeded team, to earn a spot in the title game; there, they fell |
|
|
to Missouri to finish as the Big 12 runner-up; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Granted a spot in the National Invitational |
|
|
Tournament for the first time since 2001, Baylor resumed its clutch |
|
|
play, topping Georgetown, Virginia Tech, Auburn, and San Diego |
|
|
State; on April 2, Baylor made its first NIT finals appearance in |
|
|
school history, and though the team lost a hard-fought title game to |
|
|
Penn State, its overall performance in the tournament demonstrated |
|
|
that Baylor could hold its own against tough competitors from |
|
|
throughout the nation; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, Indispensable to the Baylor attack were its skilled |
|
|
senior players--Curtis Jerrells, Henry Dugat, Delbert Simpson, |
|
|
Mamadou Diene, and Kevin Rogers--who have helped bring about a |
|
|
resurgence in the basketball program, winning 64 games during their |
|
|
years at the university; in addition, the Bears received |
|
|
outstanding contributions from the other members of the roster: |
|
|
Kendall Wright, Duran Diaz, Fred Ellis, Quincy Acy, LaceDarius |
|
|
Dunn, Anthony Jones, Tweety Carter, Josh Lomers, and Ekpe Udoh; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, These talented athletes were guided by head coach |
|
|
Scott Drew and assistant coaches Matthew Driscoll, Mark Morefield, |
|
|
and Jerome Tang; additional support was provided by director of |
|
|
basketball operations Stephen Brough, coordinator of basketball |
|
|
operations Paul Mills, and director of player development Dwon |
|
|
Clifton; and |
|
|
WHEREAS, With its thrilling postseason victories, the Baylor |
|
|
basketball squad was a source of great excitement and pride for its |
|
|
loyal fans, and its triumphs will serve to inspire future Bears |
|
|
teams in seasons to come; now, therefore, be it |
|
|
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
|
|
Legislature hereby congratulate the Baylor University men's |
|
|
basketball team on its memorable 2008-2009 season and extend best |
|
|
wishes to the players, coaches, and staff for continued success; |
|
|
and, be it further |
|
|
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
|
|
prepared for the team as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
|
|
House of Representatives. |
| |
|
|
Anderson |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Speaker of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.R. No. 1518 was adopted by the House on April |
|
|
30, 2009, by a non-record vote. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |