Former PB point guard dies

Evan Bascombe

While on vacation I got a phone call saying Evan Bascombe had died.

Evan was one of those guys that never got in the paper much -- he never had much to say after a game, maybe just a nod -- but he was a big reason why the Mules won the SEMO Conference and district titles in 2006. He was sharp guy, a defensive stopper at the point and ran the offense. Everybody thinks of that year as Ben Hansbrough's team -- he was named Mr. Show-Me Basketball -- but Evan played a big part scoring about 2.0 points per game. I remember when he injured his knee at Notre Dame in the first half, I thought his year was done. He came back the next game and ended up starting every game that year, playing with nagging injuries to his legs and back.

I just saw him at the store recently and we gave each other a nod, just like after a game.

Here's the story…

Evan Bascombe, who died Monday on a float trip down the Current River, was a point guard who helped the Poplar Bluff Mules win their last district and conference titles.

Now he's getting an assist from his friends and former teammates.

"It's been a hard time knowing he's gone," said Travis Brown, who coached Bascombe in 2005-06. "It's been hard on his teammates. We just want to make sure the family is given the help they need during this time, to make sure Evan is taken care of."

A memorial fund will be set up at First Midwest Bank while a 3-on-3 basketball tournament and another fundraiser are in the works.

Bascombe's visitation will be at 11 a.m. Saturday followed by a 1 p.m. service at the Mt. Calvary Powerhouse Church.

"He never let his coaches or his teammates down," Brown said.

A 3-on-3 basketball tournament is scheduled for June 17 but no other information was available at presstime.

Mike Clark said the staff of Mike & Zack's BBQ, where Bascombe worked for the past four months, will hold a fundraiser next week.

Bascombe, 18, died Monday afternoon in the Current River after jumping off Worley Rock, located two miles north of the Highway 160 bridge. He had been on a float trip with four friends but the strong current separated Bascombe, who yelled for help after getting a cramp.

A 2006 graduate, Bascombe scored 50 career varsity points for the Mules, the fewest of the five seniors that year, but he helped lead the team as the point guard and a defensive stopper.

Brown said his favorite story of Bascombe was when the Mules were playing Lafayette in the home opener. With about 90 seconds left and the Mules holding onto a slim margin, Brown called a timeout.

"Evan looked at me and said, 'They will not score,'" Brown said. "He went to every teammate down the row and said, 'They will not score.'"

They didn't as Bascombe hounded his player enough to force a turnover.

The Mules finished 21-6 during Bascombe's senior year and won the second of two state titles with him on the bench as a junior. He also played on national television when the Mules traveled to Indianapolis for a game in the 2004-05 season.

He never scored more than six points in a game but also never missed a start his senior year despite nagging injuries. He had to be helped off the court after a knee injury at Notre Dame but was back in the starting lineup four nights later, getting a steal that lead to Poplar Bluff's first points.

During the sectional playoff, Bascombe fought through back spasms and scored two points in a 59-51 loss to Kirkwood.

"To me, when you talk about a great basketball player, you talk about heart and toughness," Brown said. "That described him. He played injured all year and you couldn't keep him off the floor."

To donate to the Evan Bascombe Memorial Fund, contact First Midwest Bank, 704 North Westwood, at (573) 785-8461.

Here's the obit… http://www.funeralplan2.com/cotrellfuneralservice/Obituaries?id=99226