Last basketball game at Weathers-Wentzell Center set for Thursday
| Final | 1 | 2 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Baton Rouge Community College | 27 | 15 | 42 |
|
Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College | 32 | 43 | 75 |
PERKINSTON — Thursday night will see the last basketball game played in historic Weathers-Wentzell Center, ending the Mississippi Gulf Coast basketball teams' 65-year run in the grand facility.
Teams that won one national championship, appeared in four national tournaments and claimed 21 conference championships called it home. Student-athletes who starred there went on to play in the NBA (Ira Newble), win an Olympic gold medal (Brittney Reese), and earn countless scholarships to continue their educations and playing careers at four-year schools. Isaac Brown, the Wichita State head men's basketball coach, played in the gym.
Former Gulf Coast basketball coach Wendell Weathers will be recognized before the game.
On Monday, Gulf Coast basketball will move to a new facility at the corner of Wire Road and Perkinston Boulevard, the college's new entrance road. A ribbon-cutting and dedication for the arena is scheduled for Feb. 15.
The Gulf Coast women's basketball team will open the MGCCC Thanksgiving Classic starting at 2 p.m. with a non-conference game against East Mississippi. The second game featuring Chattahoochee Valley and Northeast Mississippi is scheduled to start at 4 p.m. A men's game between Gulf Coast and Royal Ambassadors will follow.
The gymnasium opened in 1957. Three years later, it was named after Charles S. "Vester" Wentzell, who was the president of the Board of Trustees at the time of its construction. It also originally housed a student grill. In 2007, it would become the Weathers-Wentzell Center, named for legendary coach Bob Weathers.
Bob Weathers became coach in 1960 and held that position for 52 years. His son, Wendell, took over upon his retirement and coached until 2019. The duo combined to win more than 1,200 games with teams that called the Weathers-Wentzell Center home.
For more information on MGCCC's 11 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.
