Huntington, W. Va. — For the first time all season former Tolsia basketball star Coty Jude got to play in front of fans including his mom and grandma as his UNC Asheville Bulldogs fell to Marshall 88-67 at the Cam Henderson center recently.
Jude and some of his friends and family after the game at Marshall.
Jude, who battled foul trouble all night long, tallied 11 points on 4-9 shooting including 3-8 from behind the three point line before fouling out in the second half.
Jude looks to score against Jared West of Marshall.
Jude starred at Tolsia High School before taking his talents to Asheville to help a Bulldog program rebuild and had started every game in his career ( 62 ) before breaking a bone in his wrist in practice and missed the first couple games this season but was back in the starting lineup just 45 minutes from Rebel Arena last week to face a team he doesn’t like very much.
The Bulldogs slipped to 3-4 on the season but more importantly are 2-0 in the Big South with two wins over High Point University at home.
The Thundering Herd improved to 6-1 on the season and are poised to make a run in Conference USA this season.
Jude shooting free throws before facing Marshall.
Former Tolsia star and Current UNC Asheville Junior Coty Jude
PLAYER’S COMMENTS
“… The fan factor was a big deal because we haven’t played in front of fans all season so I was excited for that. I have had a lot of practice playing in front of hardly anyone so far. I was really nervous but I was excited more than anything. Being able to come home and play against a team I wanted to play for was a blessing for me. I was just so anxious to get to play those guys. I wanted to play for Marshall so I had extra motivation going against them. Anytime someone passes on you it’s kinda in the back of your mind. So I wanted to play well. It was really about me as much as it was about us as a team. At the end we didn’t get the result we wanted but what an opportunity it was to get to show those guys something they missed out on. Like, I said it’s not really about the result all the time. I am just really glad to get to come back and play in front of friends and family.”
“… We have this thing “foul or finish” even if I have to foul out or I don’t have any fouls at all. Make those guys go to the line and earn those two points. There is only a couple of minutes left in the game thats irrelavant to me. I am trying to keep them from scoring every time down the floor. If I can get them to go 1 for 2 at the line that’s better then him getting a live dunk. I will take those odds everyday.”
“… Playing in front of No one It’s a little extra motivation itself because you don’t have the jitters or adrenalin rush of going out and playing in front of a bunch of fans. You have to bring your own juice and your own energy. That is something we have talked a lot about as a team. There is a lot of yellow tape we have to go through with testing and everything but it’s nice to get to come back here and play in front of fans. But whether we have fans there or not the goal is the same. The mentality is the same. As long as we execute that, it is all that matters.”
“… Our out of conference schedule is always challenging and we have fun playing those teams. It is a good chance for us to see where we stand as a team and what we need to work on when we play conference teams. We are excited to have the opportunity to play those bigger teams especially on a big stage, but at the end of the day those conference games are all that matters. As long as we can translate what we didn’t do well in non-conference games and put them into what we need to do to prepare for the conference games and try to win a conference championship.”
“… It was exciting to come home and get to stay a few days. My mom travels a lot and I don’t get to come home often pandemic or not most of the time anyway but to be able to come home, play in front of my friends and family regardless of the circumstances and get a couple days off and see everybody it has been really great.”
“ …The support from the folks back home is second to none and it doesn’t go unnoticed either. After the games I see people on facebook posting and I am four and half to five hours away. I see people taking pictures of the TV watching me play, commenting on my status, posting my stuff, and sharing my stuff on the school post. For everybody who watches me and supports me for one I am very very appreciative and thankful for you guys especially you guys whose been there since my Tolsia days. I am just so thankful to have you guys and supporting me along this journey. It’s been a long one, somewhat a grueling one in a sense but I just take pride in the journey and thankful for the support from home.”
Now that’s a good story! Thanks Lazer. I’m sure the Herald Dispatch didn’t take the effort to report this hometown story nor did WSAZ. It would have required Morehouse to get out of the studio.