Jan. 27, 2010
RUSTON, La. - With the conclusion of the first decade of the new millennium, the Louisiana Tech Athletics Department takes a look back and honors former and current student-athletes who have made the biggest impact on their respective teams over the past 10 years.
It has been a decade that has seen conference regular season and tournament titles, NCAA Tournament appearances, bowl victories, record-setting performances, national statistical leaders and plenty of victories by LA Tech programs.
In a retrospect look, some of the team sports at LA Tech will release the All-Decade Teams - compiling players who helped make those teams successful from 2000-2009.
There are criteria for selecting the starting lineups for these teams. To be considered, a student-athlete must have played at least two years of his/her career in this decade; student-athletes who spent more time at LA Tech to accomplish greater things typically will be given the edge over those who either left early or started late, but it won't rule out transfer students or those who departed early for professional careers. Intangibles can also play a role.
Part three of this series which is being released over the first few weeks of 2010 is the Bulldog basketball program which won more than 150 games during the decade and played in the NIT in both 2002 and 2006.
LATechsports.com asked the Tech fans to vote on their all-decade team while it also came up with its own with the help of longtime radio broadcaster Dave Nitz and Ruston Daily Leader Sports Editor Buddy Davis. Here are the results of the teams as well as some of the top wins of the last decade.
All-Decade Team (As voted on by fans)
First Team
G Kyle Gibson 92.6%
G Gerrod Henderson 78.2%
F Magnum Rolle 92.1%
F Paul Millsap 98.7%
C Antonio Meeking 85.6%
Second Team
G Corey Dean 74.7%
G Jamel Guyton 51.5%
G Lavelle Felton 41.5%
F Wayne Powell 73.8%
F Darrian Brown 44.5%
All-Decade Team (by LATechsports.com)
First Team
Guard Gerrod Henderson, 1998-02
After transferring back to LA Tech after signing with Iowa State out of Haynesville High School, Gerrod Henderson ended his LA Tech career as the fifth-leading scorer in Bulldog history with 1,829 points (a career scoring average of 15.9 ppg). He led LA Tech to a mark of 79-39 in four seasons and an appearance in the 2002 NIT where the Bulldogs advanced to the third round. He was a three-time all-conference selection. Henderson ranks 5th in career points, 6th in assists (367), 1st in steals (191), 8th in scoring average (15.9), 11th in field goals made (575), 2nd in three-pointers made (209), 1st in free throws made (470) and 6th in free throw percentage (80.8).
Guard Kyle Gibson, 2006-present
Regarded as one of the top long-range shooters in Bulldog history, Tech senior Kyle Gibson earns a spot on the all-decade team for a number of reasons. Only 21 games into his senior season, Gibson already ranks 12th in career scoring and his current scoring average of 21.6 this season is the 7th best in Tech history. Gibson was a second team all-WAC selection last year and is a candidate for the WAC Player of the Year this season. He ranks 3rd in career three-pointers (205) and has a shot to become the programs all-time leader. He will also end his Tech career as one of the leaders in free throw and three-point field goal percentage.
Forward Magnum Rolle, 2008-present
Rolle makes the all-decade team despite only two years with the Bulldog program as this 6-foot-11 inch forward is one of the most athletic, versatile players in program history. Rolle, who transferred from LSU, earned a spot on the WAC all-Newcomer and all-Defensive teams last year after averaging 12.2 points and 7.2 rebounds a game. After only 51 games in a Bulldog uniform, Rolle ranks 4th in career blocked shots with 101, trailing only Willie Simmons, PJ Brown and Paul Millsap.
Forward Paul Millsap, 2003-2006 (MVP)
An easy selection as the MVP of the Louisiana Tech Bulldog basketball all-Decade team, Paul Millsap garners this honor despite leaving a season early for the NBA Draft. During his Tech career, Millsap became the first player in NCAA history to lead the country in rebounding for three straight years. The three-time first team all-conference selection averaged a double-double for his career with 18.6 points and 12.7 rebounds a contest. He ranks 7th in scoring (1708), 2nd in rebounding (1172), 3rd in blocks (183), 6th in field goals made (658), 3rd in field goal percentage (57.7), 10th in free throws made (386) and 13th in steals (121). Millsap recorded 29 rebounds in a win over San Jose State in 2006, second most in program history. He led the 2005-06 team to 20 wins and an appearance in the NIT.
Center Antonio Meeking, 1999-2003
Known as Tiger, this physical specimen dominated inside during the course of his four-year Bulldog career. During his career, Meeking led the Bulldogs to a mark of 72-45 which included an appearance in the 2002 NIT where Tech advanced to the third round with wins over UL-Lafayette and Vanderbilt. Meeking ended his LA Tech career ranked 13th in scoring (1,541), 11th in rebounding (814), and 7th in blocks (63). He was named first team all-WAC in 2003.
Second Team
Guard Corey Dean, 2002-06
A local product from Ruston, La., Dean played four seasons and started three for the Bulldogs. He averaged 12.7 and 10.5 points his sophomore and junior seasons, respectively. Dean led Tech to a record of 61-57 in his career and accumulated 198 assists, the 16th best mark as a Bulldog.
Guard Lavelle Felton, 2001-03
The late Felton had great accuracy from beyond the arc ranking third with a 41.9 three point shooting percentage for his career. He is among the leaders in career assists, ranking 12th, despite playing just two seasons after transferring from Chipola Junior College. The Milwaukee, Wis. native helped the Bulldogs to a 22-10 record as a junior in the program's first season as member of the WAC. As a senior, averaged 13.7 points and 5.1 rebounds while leading the team in assists with 88.
Guard Daevon Haskins, 2004-06
Haskins makes the team with his defensive presence that earned him a spot on the WAC all-Defensive team in the 2005-06 season. The Baltimore, Md. native was a two-year starter after transferring from South Plains Junior College. He ranks eighth in all-time assists and recorded 56 steals as a senior, the fifth best by a Bulldog in a single season.
Guard Jamel Guyton, 2008-present
Gibson made an immediate impact since transferring from Odessa College, scoring 27 in his Tech debut. He averaged 11.8 points per game the remainder of his junior season. The sharp shooter is already in the top 10 in career three-pointers made.
Guard Marco Cole, 1999-2002
The Lonoke, Ark. native, helped the Bulldogs to three winning seasons, a combined record of 60-30. A transfer from Shorter Junior College, Cole scored 12.3 as a junior and 11.4 as a senior, starting on the 2002 team that competed in the NIT.
Top five wins in the last decade
Louisiana Tech 71, Fresno State 64 on Jan. 26, 2002
The win snapped Fresno State's 25-game home winning streak at Selland Arena. Two Bulldogs recorded a double-double as Gerrod Henderson led Tech with 20 points and 10 rebounds and Marco Cole had 13 points and 10 rebounds. Tech went on to win six of their next seven games and reach the second round of the NIT.
Louisiana Tech 64, at Memphis 55 on Dec. 21, 2004
LA Tech shot just 12.9 percent from the field in the first half and trailed 28-16 at halftime. However, the Bulldogs shot 57.7 percent in the second half to win 64-55 and stun a Memphis crowd of 7,581. Paul Millsap scored 19 points and grabbed 15 rebounds.
Louisiana Tech 76, at ULM 73 on Dec. 2, 2009
Kyle Gibson had 26 points and seven rebounds as Tech withstood foul trouble and an impressive shooting display from ULM's Tony Hooper to win in dramatic fashion. After ULM hit a three-pointer to tie the game with 15 seconds left, Gibson was found open in the corner by David Jackson and sank a three-pointer at the buzzer to win over their I-20 rival.
Louisiana Tech 102, at Centenary 96 on Dec. 12, 2009
The Bulldogs faced a 22-point deficit in the second half before mounting a huge comeback in an eight-point win over the Gents in double-overtime. Thirty three-pointers were made in this classic game as Centenary was 20-of-29 from three-point range and Louisiana Tech was 10-of-20. Kyle Gibson was held scoreless in the first half, but scored 28 in the second half and extra periods including key free throws down the stretch. It was the first time in 11 years that the Bulldogs scored 100 points in a game.
Louisiana Tech 68, at Boise State 66 on Jan. 30, 2004
Paul Millsap had a big game with 23 points and 12 rebounds, but it was Donell Allick that was the hero. Allick made two big plays in the final four seconds. With the game tied 66-66 with less than 35 seconds remaining in the game, Allick hit a 16-foot field goal to give Tech a two-point lead with four seconds remaining. Allick then stole the ensuing inbounds pass to secure the win.
