EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – One of the most appreciated teams in UTEP basketball history made its return to the Don Haskins Center on Saturday night.
Members of the 2003-2004 UTEP Miners squad, which tied the NCAA record for a turnaround season as it finished 24-8 after a 6-24 season the year prior and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament, returned to El Paso for a 20-year reunion.
Jason Williams, Omar Thomas, Filiberto Rivera were some of the many faces on the 03-04 squad that returned to the Don Haskins Center on Saturday night.
The 2003-2004 UTEP men’s basketball team reunion started the night with an autograph session in the south concourse of the Don Haskins Center. Many fans showed up to interact with the team prior to UTEP’s game against Liberty.
At halftime of Saturday’s contest, The 2003-2004 team was brought out onto the floor of the Don Haskins Center and was honored.
Omar Thomas, who was the team’s leading scorer that season and the current boys basketball head coach at Socorro High School, had his jersey hung up in the rafters of the arena.
All in all, Saturday night was a very special night for the members of one of the greatest teams in UTEP basketball history.
“It’s amazing to be back 20 years after and see all these fans,” Former UTEP guard Filiberto Rivera said. “I was waiting for this moment finally came and I’m enjoying it.”
“Everything that we went through was just incredible and just to say that we put El Paso back on top in basketball, it’s just an amazing feeling,” Former UTEP forward Joe Devance said. “I still get emotional thinking about it. It’s one of my greatest achievements in basketball.”
“I live here, but to have the guys back is special,” Omar Thomas said. “We have so many memories in the Don Haskins Center. It feels good to be back with the guys.”
Billy Gillispie, the head coach of that season’s team was not in attendance. Gillispie, who is currently in his fourth year as head coach at Tarleton State, went on an indefinite medical leave in Nov. 2023. Gillispie has not returned to the sidelines since. Joseph Jones has been filling in as the acting head coach and will continue to do so until Gillispie can return, according to the university.
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