Forbes' Jersey Retired at Bel Air

Jim Forbes was an Olympian, a college athlete, a college coach, a high school coach. Now he has honor. He is the first Bel Air basketball player to have his jersey retired.  Here are some of his statistics as a player at Bel Air, UTEP, and Team USA:

AWARDS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

BEL AIR HIGH SCHOOL:
• 1970 graduate of Bel Air high School
• 1969 District Champs, all district selection, all city selection at Bel Air
• 1970 District Champs, all district selection, all city selection at Bel Air
• 1970 High School All-American at Bel Air High School
• Many people consider him the best Bel Air basketball player of all time.

UTEP:
• Full scholarship recipient to play basketball at UTEP.
• 1972 All Western Athletic Conference selection at UTEP
• 1971-72 averaged 12 points and 10.7 rebounds per game at UTEP (20-7 record)
• Grabbed 290 rebounds for UTEP in 1971-72 season (6th most in UTEP history)
• No sophomore in UTEP history averaged or pulled down more rebounds that Jim Forbes
• Averaged 10.74 rebounds for UTEP in 1971-72 season (7th highest in UTEP history)
• Played in the 1972 NIT for UTEP
• 1972-73 averaged 9.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game at UTEP (16-10 record)
• 1974 All Western Athletic Conference selection at UTEP
• 1974 UTEP team was ranked 18th nationally in the AP poll
• 1973-74 averaged 9.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game at UTEP (18-7 record)
• 1972, 1973, 1974 NABC All-District Team at UTEP
• Played on UTEP teams that defeated nationally ranked teams Indiana, BYU, and New Mexico
• The legendary Coach Don Haskins considered him one of the best defensive players he ever coached.
• Averaged 9.1 rebounds per game in his UTEP career (ranks 6th all-time in UTEP history)
• Had 20 double-doubles for points and rebounds at UTEP (5th most in UTEP history)

1972 OLYMPIC GAMES, Munich, Germany:
• USA Team Player
• Played significant minutes for Coach Henry Iba throughout the Olympic games
• Played in the most controversial basketball game in USA history in the gold medal game against USSR, the Russians

PROFESSIONAL:
• Drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 4th round, 70th pick overall

COACHING:
• UTEP Assistant basketball coach from 1981-1984
• Head Coach at Riverside from 1984-2004.
• Coached Riverside High School to the Texas State Final Four in 1995
• Head Coach at Andress High School from 2004 – current
• Coached Andress High School to the Texas State Sweet 16 in 2009

HONORS:
• Member of the El Paso Athletic Hall of Fame
• Member of the UTEP Athletic Hall of Fame
• Bel Air High School Jersey #50 Retired