USC Basketball Team Remembers Late Point Guard: Southern California remembered point guard Ryan Francis, who was fatally shot last May, at halftime of its Nov. 16 season opener. The 19-year-old was killed in a drive-by shooting on Mother’s Day weekend in Louisiana. The man accused of the shooting, D’Anthony Ford, whose Francis’ mother, Paulette, called “a coward who stood behind a gun”, is being held in a Baton Rouge prison without bond. At halftime of USC’s game vs. South Carolina, the lights were lowered and a video tribute opened with USC players talking about Francis, his mother’s only child. Highlights of Francis driving to the basket against crosstown rival UCLA were paced by Cajun music. The crowd rose to its feet in applause as the video ended and the screen read, “We miss you Ryan. Your spirit will live on forever.”
USC coach Tim Floyd presented Paulette Francis, who wore a T-shirt displaying her son’s smiling face, with a framed No. 12 jersey. “Thank you for letting us have your son. We loved him.” said Floyd. USC’s players will wear a black patch with Francis’ number on their jerseys this season.
[11/24/06]
