On Saturday, Dec. 19th, the Texas Southern men’s basketball team will play Southeastern Louisiana in the first ever Robert Hughes Classic in Fort Worth. This inaugural tournament, the brainchild of Glenn O. Lewis, current Chairman of the TSU Board of Regents, will pay homage to Robert Hughes, a TSU and Texas basketball legend.
Hughes, now known as the “Duke” of Ft. Worth’s Dunbar High School, played forward, post, and off-guard for Texas Southern under head coach Edward Adams from 1951 to 1954 before being drafted by the Boston Celtics. During his time at TSU, Hughes garnered All-Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) honor three times, was named TSU’s Athlete of the Year as a senior and was later inducted into the TSU Hall of Fame.
Following Hughes’ playing career he continued in basketball and became a legendary coaching figure in Texas high school basketball. Starting his career at all-black I.M. Terrell High School in Fort Worth during segregation, Hughes led his teams to state championships in 1963, ’65, and ’67. In 1973, after segregation ended and I.M. Terrell was closed, Hughes began coaching at Dunbar High School in Fort Worth winning two more state championships in 1993 and 2003. At the time of his retirement in 2005, Hughes was the national all-time leader in wins amassing 1,333 wins compared to only 264 losses.
In addition to the accolades accomplished at Texas Southern, Hughes is also a member of the National High School Hall of Fame, the Texas Sports Hall of Fame, the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Southwestern Athletic Hall of Fame, and the TSU Hall of Fame.
“I believe this Classic gives us a chance to honor one of the greatest basketball players in TSU history,” said Dr. Charles McClelland, TSU’s Athletics Director. “It not only allows us to showcase our current team but we get to help improve the education of students in the Fort Worth area. It’s a positive situation for everyone involved.” McClelland added.
Posted By: Reginald Culpepper
Tuesday, November 13th 2012 at 1:45PM
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