By GUERIN EMIG World Sports Writer
NORMAN - Quannas White was finishing a chat Friday afternoon at the OU Jimmie Austin Golf Course, when he called out: "Where's Hollis?"
With that, you could officially rate the Sooners' first basketball alumni weekend a success.
White and Hollis Price, who shared the backcourt during OU's Final Four and Elite Eight seasons from 2001-03, were together again. They swapped stories at Sooner Legends Hotel Thursday night, visited the golf course Friday afternoon, and were back inside the Lloyd Noble Center Friday night for a banquet honoring the 10-year anniversary of the Final Four team.
"Ten years?" Price said before teeing off. "It's been 10 years? Really? Man, sure enough. I'm getting old."
He doesn't look it. Price's face looks half his age, just like it was when he was Big 12 Player of the Year in '03.
"I'll never forget Coach (Kelvin) Sampson said after your freshman year time was gonna go so fast," Price said. "That freshman year was the longest year. I think conditioning lasted forever. But after that freshman year time did fly."
"We were talking about it last night. Time flies," White said. "But it was great, man. It was awesome what we did. I tell my kids that I coach today (it was) the best team I ever played for, including the ones overseas and in the NBA D-League ... There was nothing like that 2002 team. From top to bottom and even the coaching staff, the chemistry was just right."
It was close in '01, when the Sooners won 26 games before a first-round NCAA loss to Indiana State. Then Sampson added Ebi Ere, Jason Detrick and White, Price's old backcourt-mate from New Orleans' state championship-winning St. Augustine High who had been at Midland (Texas) Junior College.
With the 165-pound Price providing heart and point guard White sense, the Sooners won 31 times, captured a second straight Big 12 Conference tournament, and punched a ticket to the Georgia Dome for the Final Four.
The two guards are too competitive and proud, still, to harbor only fond memories of that Final Four. Too much about Price's stray shooting, White's bum ankle and Indiana's 73-64 upset.
"But the experience was unbelievable," Price said.
"Oh, it hurt. It hurts to this day," White said. "But it was a fantastic experience, just to get there."
That overtime victory at Texas in February of '02 draws an especially wide grin.
"Me and Hollis were talking, those road wins were tough," White said. "In front of that crowd in that atmosphere, that's my snapshot."
Price, now living in Houston, relishes it still.
"I'm always putting the Horns down in the shopping center," he said, "because somebody always recognizes my face. It's still burning in me."
Even if he's cruising toward middle age.
"I'm not playing right now. I'm about to have my first baby," said Price, due to become father to Hollis II Nov. 15. "I want to be here to experience that process. It's coming pretty fast. Everything changes once you realize you're about to have a baby. Everything slows down, I guess, as far as life. It changes. I'm excited about it."
White transitioned to the next stage of his life a while ago. He has two daughters, ages 10 and 4. Three years ago, he began coaching AAU basketball in Baton Rouge.
"Louisiana Dynasty. Best organization in the nation," he smiled. "I have 11-and-under, 13, 16 and 17. My 17s, all of those guys go Division I. It's a good deal. I've been in Baton Rouge now for eight years. Hollis is trying to get me to move to Houston."
He just wants to see him more is all. The two get together now and then, most recently in Las Vegas where Price attended the vows renewal of White and his wife.
Thanks to the reunion plans of new OU coach Lon Kruger and the Sooners' Tip-In Club, they'll have this weekend.
"Coach Kruger, this is something special, him reaching out to all of the former players to get us out here," Price said. "It's special to come back and see guys we've known for so long."
White in particular?
"Yeah," Price said. "That's my guy."
"We're family," White said. "I love him like a brother."
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