A Look Back at Sartain Hall

Sartain Hall is a lot of things.

It is where Troy University students have taken the most important walk of their lives and become alums. It has hosted high-school tournaments and showcased world-famous acts like the Harlem Globetrotters.

“Sartain Hall has served Troy University well,” Troy women's basketball coach Michael Murphy said.

Yes, Sartain Hall has had many uses since its opening in 1962, but the 50-year-old building has always served one purpose above all else. It has been the home for Troy University men's and women's basketball.

There's a saying often uttered: all good things must come to an end. While this may be true for Sartain Hall, the bittersweet end that Troy closed with was far from the outcome that they had originally envisioned.

“We wanted to win this for Coach Maestri and all of the people in attendance,” guard Alan Jones said stoically.

“This building has a lot of history … we wanted it to go out with a bang.”

“We played as hard and as emotional as we could and we really wanted to leave this facility with a win,” said Troy men's basketball coach Don Maestri following the heartbreaking finale which saw Troy fall to UALR in overtime, 74-62.

“Being the last game (in Sartain Hall), the kids didn't want to leave without a victory. I thought the way they played tonight, the effort they had was the best they've had the whole year in this gym.”

But this is no time for sorrow or lamenting. This is a time to celebrate fond memories.

It all began on November 26, 1962. With John Archer and his squad having established Troy University as a force to be reckoned with on the hardwood, Troy stormed out of the gate, notching a victory in the first game ever played inside Sartain Hall with a 64-57 defeat of Pensacola Junior College.

The Trojans didn't look back, as Sartain Hall immediately became one of the most formidable home-court advantages opponents would attempt to overcome. The Men of Troy would only lose seven home contests in Sartain Hall's first five years of existence.

The Women of Troy would follow the lead of their male counterparts upon being established as a program in 1975. Led by then-coach Joyce Sorrell, the women's team would remain just as formidable inside the friendly confines.

The culmination of this would be in the 1980 season where the Trojan women rode a 13-2 home record to an AIAW state championship. That wouldn't be the end of Sartain's charm as the women's team would amass two undefeated home seasons afterwards and numerous double-digit home win totals.

Yes, there would be times of struggle, and Troy would experience ups and downs in defending their home following Archer's and Sorrell's respective departures, but within just a couple of years after current coach Don Maestri stepped onto campus with an explosive offense and relentless defense, the men's basketball team went on to bring a whole new meaning to what a true home-court advantage was.

From 1987 to 1993, Troy only tasted defeat four times in front of its home crowd and Sartain Hall would come to be known as the home to the most explosive offense in the nation.

With Maestri's run-and-gun style fully entrenched, the Men of Troy garnered numerous conference championships and made history in front of their hometown supporters.

Some fans may remember the 100-79 shellacking that Troy doled out to Gannon University to earn its first Division II Final Four berth in 1988. Others may remember the scintillating 1991 season, which saw Troy rewrite the Division-II record books with 187 points in a single game against DeVry University and winning the Gulf South Conference crown with a 118-106 victory over West Georgia.

A few may fondly recall Troy scoring a ridiculous 258 points in one game, coupled with 51 three-pointers and 65 assists (all Division II records) in 1992.

Whatever the case, whether it is the fall of records, conference championships or milestone victories for coaches, Sartain Hall and history have become synonymous with one another.

That history has proven to be unforgettable as Maestri proudly recalled an inspirational start to Sartain's curtain call. It saw players from the Archer era show up bright and early in Sartain, looking to hold a free throw contest. It eventually manifested into a four-on-four pickup game that sparked old memories for the former alums.

“That's the beauty to me of basketball. Being on basketball teams, the memories you have, you never forget those. You will always cherish those memories,” Maestri said.

“So I told my guys at halftime, hopefully tonight they'll have a great memory but you're going to remember this for the rest of your life because your team is going through this and one day you're going to want to come back like those elderly guys did that morning. Enjoy your time that you were together as a team. No matter what walk of life you go through you'll never forget your team moments.”

Maestri usually took time to sit in the empty stands between home contests just to reminisce about his career thus far. But the one thought he could come up with during that time was the immeasurable gratitude that he felt for being able to coach in Sartain Hall.

“My emotional moment will come later. It's all about memories and relationships. I don't think that stuff ever leaves you. I'll have time to look back of all the years that we were here but there are so many moments,” Maestri said.

“Someone asked me earlier about legacy and mine is gratefulness. We're thankful that we were fortunate enough to be here for 30 years.”

But now Troy University basketball bids a fond farewell to Sartain Hall. It remembers the triumphs, the intense atmosphere and the near-insurmountable advantage that it, along with the fans that occupied the stands, Trojan pride emanating from every pore, gave them. It remembers the milestones. It remembers the talent that ran the court.

While the Trojans may be moving on to the new Trojan Arena, they will be sure to take the spirit of Sartain Hall with them as they prepare to defend their new home court with the fervor and intensity that they defended the honor of Sartain.

Troy University Athletics

Related News

Related Videos