Jamal Williams Jr. handles the ball in Tech’s 89-79 win on Friday night. Photo By Alana Kiker.
By Alana Kiker and Zach Moss
KTXT Sports Staff
To kick off Chris Walker’s career as the Texas Tech men’s basketball interim head coach, the Red Raiders opened the 2012 season with an 89-79 victory on Friday night, downing Prairie View A&M inside the United Spirit Arena in front of a boisterous home crowd.
“It’s a great feeling, you know, Kirby (Hocutt) gave me the game ball in the locker room and the guys clapped it up for me,” said Coach Walker, when asked what the first win meant for him. “That was the first thing I did was thank my players, because like I said to them, this will be etched in stone, I will always remember you guys no matter what happens in my lifetime.”
Sophomore forward Jordan Tolbert, who led the Red Raiders in scoring with sixteen points and seven rebounds on a 7-for-7 night from the field, and although only a sophomore, considers himself a leader on the team now.
“It’s a bigger responsibility and I know I can’t be fooling around, I gotta’ be serious,” he said.
Walker knows what the new players mean to the team in respect to Tolbert.
“I think the good thing for him is that we have guards that can make plays,” he said. “As the season goes on and as each game comes
Jordan Tolbert with a monster slam in Friday’s 89-79 victory against Prairie View A&M. Photo By Alana Kiker
they’re gonna’ get better and better at making plays, so the better they get at making plays, the more they can never key on Jordan Tolbert.”
Junior JUCO transfer, Jamal Williams Jr., who finished the game with fifteen points and six rebounds, talks about how Coach Walker helped prepare him for this game.
“This week I had a tough practice,” he said, “and he was on me mentally, trying to get me mentally stronger and it made me prepared for the game. I played with passion and everything came together.”
Despite their loss, Walker praised the efforts of the Prairie View A&M Panthers.
“I think they will be very good, you know, I really do,” he said. “I think they’re gonna’ be a NCAA tournament team in that league. You know, anytime you got five seniors and six juniors you have a chance to win. I think they got some guys with some good bodies. They’re physical, and they can shoot the ball, and they have an exceptional coach.”
Walker knows that this win is just the beginning of a long season for the Red Raiders.
“It’s gratifying to be on that journey for such a long time and now to finally get your chance and get your first win, I mean, it’s just something you always dream about, and now that this happened I want number two.”
Texas Tech’s next game is Wednesday, November 14th against Nebraska-Omaha at the United Spirit Arena.
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