HEAD OF THE CLASS

HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES HAVE BEEN OVERLOOKED NATIONALLY FOR FAR TOO LONG, AND THE SAME GOES FOR THEIR BASKETBALL PROGRAMS, MANY OF WHICH HAVE IMPORTANT AND HISTORIC LEGACIES. TO EXPLAIN THE GREATNESS OF THESE SCHOOLS, WE TAPPED FOUR HBCU STUDENTS TO SHED SOME LIGHT ON THEIR SCHOOLS' HOOP CULTURE.

SLAM Magazine #231 - April, 2021

THE COPPIN CULTURE 

Words by Desiree Carrizosa 

LET’S BRING IT BACK to the ’90s. Back when Coppin State University ruled the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) and the 1996-97 squad was somethin’ different different. Coached by Ronald L. “Fang” Mitchell, the Eagles were regular season and Conference Tournament Champions, defeating North Carolina A&T in overtime. Coppin’s 20-game winning streak (the fourth in five years) didn’t stop there. This 15-seed team from Maryland shook the basketball world by beating the No. 2 seed, South Carolina, in the NCAA tournament by 13 points, becoming the first MEAC school to do so. Eagles fly high, don’t they? 

Fang Mitchell still holds the title for the winningest coach in the MEAC and school history, one that is well deserved. In over 28 seasons, he’s a six-time MEAC Coach of the Year and led Coppin State to four NCAA tournament appearances. The 1996-97 men’s basketball team, and Mitchell, showed that not only could we compete, but we could win. 

Coppin State and HBCU basketball  programs have been the wave since then, and they still are today. We know what it takes to fight through adversity— our 2007-08 men’s basketball team was 12-20 and had a three percent chance of making it to the tourney. And what did we do? Beat the odds. 

It’s rooted in who we are, past and present. Coppin educates its students of color on their history, and I’ve been able to learn more about African-American history and culture since day one. As my time at Coppin comes to an end next year, I encourage students to be open-minded about HBCUs because this experience and culture, on the hardwood or in the classroom, cannot be found in regular institutions. 

THE HAMPTON EFFECT 

Words by Keion Cage 

IF THE YEAR 2020 taught us anything, it’s that we can persevere through the challenges and against all odds. It is about having that Mamba Mentality like the late, great Kobe Bryant. I bet this is how the Hampton University men’s basketball program felt going into the 2001-02 season. The Hampton Pirates opened their season against the 19th-ranked University of North Carolina. It was supposed to be a warm-up game for UNC, but Hampton said not today. The Pirates came out and beat UNC, 77-69. This game sparked Hampton to one of the best seasons in program history, finishing with a record of 26-7. After upsets, the media likes to use the title “Cinderella Story” to credit teams for beating the odds. I don’t like the comparison, because Hampton’s basketball program and the university itself is not a “Cinderella Story.” I like to say that this game is an embodiment of the Hampton Hustle, Hard Work and Heart on full display.

We all are one family that holds each other to the standard of excellence in everything we do. When I say it’s a family, I truly mean that. HBCUs are known for spreadin’ love and making sure everyone succeeds. It is all about generational success, that “Legacy, Legacy, Legacy, Legacy, Black excellency [we] gon’ let’ em see.” (Shout out to Hov.)

The Hampton family propels students to succeed in their careers and in life because it’s for the culture. Just look at what the Bad Boys Detroit Pistons forward and Hampton graduate Rick Mahorn did for his teammates in 1989. Mahorn stepped up, looked out and did anything for his teammates. Our goal is to put ourselves in successful positions, not just for ourselves but to open opportunities for others. This is what Hampton University teaches us, whether you are on the court or off. If you know, you know.

THE MECCA

Words by Jayla Thornton

THE MECCA IS a unique place. From the laughter and vibes on the yard to the swag-surfin’ at the games in Burr Gymnasium, suiting up for Howard University is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Throughout the years, my coaches and teammates continue to encourage and remind me that the sky’s the limit. But this constant desire to grow a program and players is not only seen on the women’s side of the Bison athletic program. The men’s team has been pushing to grow into an elite program for more than 20 years. Back in 1991, Howard men’s basketball head coach Butch Beard put together a team of specialists and employed a substitution pattern that featured a starting five and a five-man reserve rotation off the bench. It worked: 12 different players averaged between 5 and 12 points. Everybody was eatin’. Beard, an army veteran who was adamant on the benefits of physical conditioning, used a two-platoon strategy that wore down opponents with their relentless full-court pressure. During the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Tournament Championship game, the Bison erased a 17-point second-half deficit to come from behind and defeat Florida A&M. We then advanced to the NCAA tournament for only the second time in school history, and the first time in a decade. 

We didn’t stop there, either. Howard won seven out of eight down the stretch with the key catalyst being senior point guard Milan Brown, who was instrumental in five wins with last-second game-winning clutch free throws. Brown was named All-Conference, while reserve transfer senior guard Howard Holley was named tournament Most  Valuable Player. 

Howard’s athletic prowess inspires me to want to grow to my fullest potential in college, and the program has molded me into the player, and young woman, that I  am today. Shout out to The Mecca for helping make it happen. 

WELCOME TO THE HOUSE! 

Words by Corey Guy 

BASKETBALL CULTURE in Atlanta is like nothing else, especially at the illustrious Morehouse College. 

As an incoming freshman from Milwaukee, WI, coming into a new environment, basketball became a safe haven from the pressure that came with being a student. 

I’d play at pickup games in the crowded Archer Hall recreation center for hours, allowing me to meet so many people around campus and feel a sense of comfort in competing. Whether I was playing or going to games, it was always a vibe. 

Morehouse basketball is just as storied as the institution itself. There is no doubt that the program wouldn’t be where it is today without legendary coach Arthur J. McAfee. His most proclaimed year coaching was the 1989-90 season.

After winning an SIAC Championship, the fighting Maroon Tigers went all the way to the 1990 NCAA Division II Tournament, advancing the farthest any team ever has in the school’s history. Under Coach McAfee and eventual L.A. Clipper Harold Ellis, the team made its first-ever Final Four appearance. Morehouse became a powerhouse and, with success, the program has continued to turn things up. 

In essence, this is what makes competition at an HBCU so unique. Black excellence is celebrated in an intimate, welcoming form. There is a strong sense of community and pride for Black people and our success. The basketball program at Morehouse helps the promotion of those values, in a way that only The House can. S