Back in Diamond Mine, Lower Richland honors all-time basketball great Stanley Roberts
Stanley Roberts has traveled the world playing the game of basketball, but there is something special about being back in the Diamond Mine.
The Diamond Mine, the nickname for Lower Richland High’s gymnasium, was a must-attend venue for basketball fans in Columbia during the 1980s and 1990s. Roberts was the centerpiece for the Diamond Hornets teams that won back-to-back Class 4A championships in 1987-88 and one of the best high school basketball players to ever come through the Midlands.
On Friday, Roberts had his No. 53 jersey retired at halftime of Lower Richland’s game against Brookland-Cayce. The school also announced they are creating a scholarship in his honor for a Lower Richland student beginning this year.
“It was the best time of my life,” Roberts said during his speech. “I traveled the world and played in the NBA, but the years spent here, playing with my teammates is unbelievable and nothing else I do in life would satisfy as much as being here and being a part of the team, this city and this community.”
Lower Richland’s 1988 team was regarded by many as perhaps the greatest high school basketball team ever in the state. Several members of that team were there Friday to honor Roberts, including JoJo English and Charles “Boogie” Jacobs, who both are coaches on the Lower Richland program. English, who also played in the NBA, is in his first year as head coach at his alma mater and one of things he pushed for after he was hired was to honor his former teammate.
Former Lower Richland head coach Jim Childers and Gary Fulmer, an assistant at LR during Roberts time, also were there, as well members of Roberts’ family.
“Stanley did so much for basketball in this community and for the state during his era,” Childers said. “It was great times. We had great basketball in the area. … He was a joy to coach and really like family, too.”
Roberts becomes the second straight former Richland One standout to have his high school jersey retired after Alex English had his No. 2 put in the rafters at Dreher last year. More could be coming as the district makes an effort to honor past players and coaches.
The 7-foot Roberts was an imposing force and averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds as a senior. He was named to several All-America teams, was a two-time S.C. Gatorade Player of the Year and top-five prospect for the Class of 1988.
With Roberts, Lower Richland traveled throughout the country in various national tournaments. The Diamond Hornets’ battles against cross-town rival Eau Claire had to be moved to the Carolina Coliseum, where South Carolina played, and thousands of people were still turned away.
“He is such a humble superstar and opened up doors and made it so a bunch of 16- and 17-year-olds from Hopkins (SC) to go to Arkansas, New Jersey, Myrtle Beach,” English said. “We traveled all over the country. To have him come back and coaches come back, it is a special moment.”
Roberts played at LSU in college where he teamed up with future NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal for one season before turning pro. He spent one year in Spain before being taken by the Orlando Magic in the 1991 NBA Draft.
Roberts was a second team all-NBA rookie selection but was bothered by injuries and off-court issues that hurt his career. He played eight seasons in the NBA before finishing his career overseas.
These days, Roberts still lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He went back to LSU and got his college degree in 2012. His day job is a recruiter for Anthem and he also is an assistant basketball coach at Central Christian.
“This is always going to be my home and this is always going to be my community no matter what I do in the future,” Roberts said.
This story was originally published December 17, 2021 at 10:54 PM.
