The Summer League basketball tradition going on out at "The Courts" in Springfield is not only a great chance for local fans to catch college stars of the future, but also a place to relive some fond memories from the past.
Including a look at a team that many people consider the best high school boys team that the area has ever produced.
Seeing nine-year NBA veteran Anthony Tolliver playing in a summer league back home in Springfield brings a smile to the face of any local sports fan…But to see him sharing the floor with his former Kickapoo high school teammates Kelly Byrne and brothers Spencer and Shane Laurie is an even bigger treat to those who remember 13 years ago.
In 2003 Kickapoo fans were going crazy up in Columbia as both their girls and boys teams were winning state championships in the same year. Kickapoo was the hoops capital of Missouri with the boys finishing the year ranked 12th in the nation, considered one of the best teams in the rich history of southwest Missouri basketball.. Coach Roy Green's Chiefs were such an overwealming favorite to win it all in 2003 that they pre-planned an elaborate celebration moment that lives on as the coolest state title merriment of all-time. (see in the accompanying video)
"When we practiced before we left for Columbia, Coach Green announced when practice was over that he was going to leave the gym," recalled Kelly Byrne, a guard on that team. "He was teling us that it was going to be a big moment so you guys figure out what you want to do. It was kinda arrogant, 'ya know? But I'm sure we practiced walking off crying too."
"I can't remember who came up with the idea but it was just something we all wanted to be a part of," Tolliver added. "I think that's probably why we played so hard and won by so many."
They beat Raytown South by 23 points to complete that magical 30 and 1 season.. And even though a whole new generation may not remember that 2003 group by now, the players will never forget.
"We played together since third grade, most of us," Byrne said. "So there was just a lot more memories behind it."
"The moment that we won I actually thought about the fact that we were never gonna play again together," Tolliver remembers. "So that was pretty crappy because we'd played together our whole life."
"Some of the kids now have no clue who we are," Spencer Laurie said. "They know who Anthony is but we're walking around and they're asking what our name is and some of the parents are saying those guys played on the team with Anthony and they used to be pretty good. And (the kids) are like, 'they were?' Because we don't really look like basketball players anymore."
"I'll tell Spence's kids how good he used to be and I'm hoping he'll tell my kids how goodI used to be," adds Shane with a smile. "So we don't have to brag on ourselves."
And even though these guys have gone on to new careers and families, they still keep in touch because the ties-that-bind remain.
"Whenever you work hard and do anything together as much as we have all of our lives, you create a bond that is beyond friendship," Tolliver said. "It's more like a brotherhood."
"One of the things that's really special about this team is that there was no jealousy," adds Shane Laurie. "Anytime you got as many good players as we did usually someone gets mad or is complaining about shots. That never happened on our team."
Tolivar has gone on to the greatest fame, but he admits that his NBA career would never have happened had he not been overshawdowed by others in high school like Spencer, who was named Mr. Show Me Basketball. And Spencer remembers how competitive everyone was even when they were playing pick-up games against each other.
"As soon as school was out we'd head to the 'Y' and play two-on-two against each other for about three hours," Spencer recalls. "And we hated each other. The next day at school we wouldn't talk to each other for most the day."
"And it's always made me work harder," Tolliver said of the competitive nature between friends. "It got me to the level that I wanted to go. So I look back at those moments and thank Devin (Mitchell) and Spencer for being better than me."
So while he may not have been the best player back then, Tolliver's teammates are willing to admit he's the best player now…right?
"I'm not prepared to do that," Byrne says with a smile.
"We might go play a two-on-two game later so I'm not going to give him any extra ammo," Spencer adds.
And with that, the former state champs share a good laugh.
