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Jerry Stackhouse really hurt. We know because he talked about it.
Before the game against the Vanderbilt players.
At the press conference after the game, I looked at the box score on the table in front of me and crumpled up the paper in my hand.
“This game means nothing,” Stackhouse said. “there is nothing.”
World No. 4 Alabama’s 78-66 victory over Vanderbilt at the Memorial Gymnasium was a fun game, even if you weren’t aware of the tragic circumstances Stackhouse is referring to. The crowd was jumping. Many locals went to see his mirror for Crimson Tide star Brandon, a Nashville-area product that did not disappoint. He put on a show and scored 30 points. He is a very good Alabama great player on his team.
The memory of this night should have been Miller’s glow at home, or even Vanderbilt’s gritty battle without injuring big man Liam Robbins.
But in reality it was neither. I only remember the crumpled paper Stackhouse had in his hand.
This was a fun game.
But really, it was just a game.
And what the Alabama team has been dealing with over the past few days is frighteningly real.
A young woman named Jamea Jonae Harris, 23, died in a shooting late Saturday night in Tuscaloosa, resulting in the imprisonment of Alabama basketball player Darius Miles, who was subsequently fired from the team, and charged with murder. indicted.
The shooting took place near The Strip, a popular area of bars and restaurants adjacent to the University of Alabama campus. Police said it was after a minor altercation between the parties.
This is such a shocking and profound tragedy that it is difficult to comprehend. It was difficult for anyone to focus solely on basketball at .
“Unbelievable,” said Stackhouse. “I mean, I don’t think they played this game.”
College basketball is inextricably linked given the longstanding friendships between players who have competed at various levels over the years and the coaches who have developed relationships and recruited them over the years. It’s a different world.
So when something horrible like this happens, it spreads across the sport, affecting multiple teams and programs.
Stackhouse brought this up to his team before the game, saying, “Thank you for giving me this opportunity to come out and compete.”
“This is[Miles’]kid we met and played against, and he probably has a chance that won’t happen again,” Stackhouse said. I am so hurt for the family of this young lady, they never thought they would lose their loved one tonight.
“And we’re here at the basketball game.”
What else can you say?
Contact Tennessee sports columnist Gentry Estes ([email protected]) and Twitter (@Gentry_Estes).
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