JDCC’s Quan Threatt hit a lay up with three seconds left to win the game for the Warhawks as the 2013-14 basketball season got off to an exciting start for the Jefferson Davis Community College Warhawk basketball team Wednesday night in their home and season opener as they came away with an 86-84 last second win over Spring Hill College to start the year 1-0.
But while the win was an exciting one for JDCC’s players and fans and head coach Allen Gainer, it was a night of mixed emotions for Gainer as his dad passed away during the night. Lloyd Gainer had turned 75 on October 24.
While Allen Gainer just began his 16th year as the head coach of JDCC’s basketball team,
Lloyd drove from his home in Demopolis to see his son in Brewton and served as the bookkeeper at JDCC’s games. Lloyd would drive 131 miles to Brewton from Demopolis for every game then would drive home after the game.
In Gainer’s first 14 years, Lloyd only missed two games— one because he was in the hospital and one because his wife was in the hospital.
Last year he missed more games due to his health than the previous 14 combined.
“These are such special, wonderful young men,” Allen said of this year’s team. “They felt like they had to win the game for me and my dad, and they were determined that they would not accept any other outcome. We were down seven points with about two minutes left, and they just were not going to let it end that way. They had a tough week trying to prepare with all that was going on, but they never complained about 5:30 in the morning practice or late at night practice. They pulled together and tried to do their best, all the while trying to support me. I don’t know what the outcome of the season will be, but they have already shown that they understand the meaning of team.”
In the game Wednesday, Chris Oden had 22 points while Fletcher Forte had 20.
Mikwese Claybourne had 14 points and seven rebounds while Chris Jones had 10 points and five rebounds. Threatt had 5 points and11 assists and Mike Hutchens had five points.
Keaynon Gulley chipped in four points, Darren Wilson had three points and five rebounds while Anthony Bell had three points.
JDCC was 12-of-20 from the free throw line and was 10-for-18 from the 3-point area. Forte was 5-of-7.
JDCC’s next game is scheduled for Saturday at Southern Union at 2 p.m. No decision had been made on the Saturday game as of press time.