THE 76 CHAMPIONSHIP

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THE 50-YEAR CELEBRATION OF THE TROOPERS STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

Fifty years after Eastwood’s historic 74–62 victory over John Tyler, the Troopers returned to the spotlight.

The win that once electrified Texas high‑school basketball resurfaced as a milestone worth honoring. Former players, now decades removed from their glory days, stepped back into the narrative they helped write. What had long lived in box scores and fading memories suddenly felt immediate again — a team once overlooked finally receiving the recognition it earned.

EASTWOOD VS VICTORIA

The Eastwood Troopers’ 1976 state run included a pivotal semifinal matchup against Victoria High School before they advanced to face John Tyler in the championship.

Eastwood vs. Victoria (1976 UIL 4A Semifinal)

Setting: Austin, Texas — the state tournament stage.
Opponent: Victoria High School, a strong program from the Gulf Coast region.
Outcome: Eastwood defeated Victoria to earn their spot in the title game.
Style of Play: Just as in their other contests, the Troopers leaned on discipline, defense, and relentless preparation. Players later recalled that the semifinal was another test of their toughness, but by then they were battle-hardened.
Significance: This victory set up the historic championship clash with John Tyler, where Eastwood won 74–62. Without the semifinal win over Victoria, the Troopers’ march to immortality would have ended one step short.

Legacy of the Semifinal

While the championship game gets most of the attention, the semifinal against Victoria was crucial. It proved that Eastwood could handle pressure against a top-tier opponent from outside El Paso. It also reinforced the narrative that their success wasn’t a fluke — they beat strong programs on the way to the crown.

EASTWOOD VS TYLER JOHN TYLER

Final Score: Eastwood defeated John Tyler, 74–62
Date/Location: Played in Austin, capping Eastwood’s 31–3 season
Style of Play: The Troopers weren’t flashy — they were disciplined, precise, and relentless. Practices were famously tougher than games, and by the time they reached Austin, they were hardened and prepared.
Coach Bob Lesley’s Impact: Lesley demanded unity and sacrifice. Players later recalled that the hardest battles were in practice, not under the lights.

COACH BOBBY LESLEY

Long before Eastwood basketball became a symbol of discipline and precision, he was the one teaching the habits that shaped generations.

No theatrics. No ego. Just fundamentals, respect, and the belief that details matter.

Players didn’t just learn the game from him — they learned how to prepare, how to think, and how to carry themselves with purpose.

His legacy lives in every Trooper who walked onto that court with confidence, discipline, and pride.

Coach Lesley was the architect behind it all.

MORE ABOUT COACH LESLEY

Bill Knight. El Paso. 9, 2015, 7:20 p.m. MT

Bobby Lesley stood there in the old locker room — just off the Austin High gym — in the spring of 1975.

He delivered what would be a prophetic message to his team ... a group that had just finished its season with a disappointing loss: "You guys coming back ... if you work hard enough, you can win state next year."

Dr. Jim Bowden, a local dentist who was in that locker room, laughed and said, "That was not in our imagination. To us, winning district was a big deal. Winning bi-district was a big deal. But getting through all the teams from Houston and Dallas was beyond our imagination. But he believed in us."

Lesley passed away last week at his East Side El Paso apartment. He was 74, just a month shy of his 75th birthday. In typical low-key Lesley fashion, he wanted neither a funeral nor a viewing. There will be a candlelight vigil Monday at 7 p.m. at Eastwood High School, in front of the Bobby Lesley Gymnasium.

Lesley led that 1976 team to the Class 4A (then the highest classification) state championship — blending a toughness and basketball intelligence and belief in team play.

"We really were a team," Bowden said. "Everybody who started averaged in double figures. The guys on the bench were just as good. It was truly a team."

No El Paso basketball team has managed to match Lesley's Eastwood fete since that 1975-76 championship season ... the season Lesley quietly predicted in that Austin High locker room in the spring of 1975

El Pasoan Tim Crenshaw, who was also in that locker room, also on that championship team, said, "He was a winner and he was a tough guy. Straight from the oil fields of West Texas to Texas Western."

Lesley was a standout player for Don Haskins at Hedley High School and then, after a junior college stint, played on Haskins' first two teams at Texas Western. He averaged 10.5 points a game for the Miners as a junior and 12.0 points a game his senior season, playing on that 1962-63 team that was Haskins' first NCAA Tournament team.

Lesley went on to coach at Eastwood High for 27 years, piecing together a stunning 623-197 record.

The Troopers finished the regular season 26-3 and then defeated Ysleta 73-52 in bi-district. They bounced Arlington Sam Houston 71-68 and then Wichita Falls 65-44 in the regional finals in Abilene — that last win earning them a trip to Austin and the Final Four. Bowden nailed a jumper in overtime to edge top-ranked Victoria 69-67 in the state semifinals and then they raced past Tyler John Tyler 74-62 in the state championship game.

But that final victory did not come easily.

"We were down by five at halftime,"

Crenshaw recalled. "Coach Lesley switched us from a man-to-man defense to a triangle-and-two and Tyler never caught on to it. We pulled away on them."

Pausing, laughing, Crenshaw said, "We wanted to throw him in the showers after we won the regional championship. He just said no. He said we could do it next week if we won the state championship. He wouldn't let us celebrate until we reached the ultimate goal."

"Once I came around a screen and he just tripped me," Bowden said, able to laugh now at the recollection. "It took all the skin off both my elbows and it hurt like heck. And he just laughed. I figured I had two choices. I cold lay there and cry or I could get up and act like it didn't hurt. I took the second option. He taught us toughness."

Crenshaw laughed and said, "It's something we needed. Things aren't always going to go your way. You have to learn to get up and deal with it."

The young men who learned all those lessons and who were part of that special championship season are, in alphabetical order, John Abbott, Jim Bowden, Mike Chapman, Ernie Colorado, Tim Crenshaw, Bob Guthrie, Jerry Krampen, Dean La Fever, Darold Molix, Doug Rutter, Gilbert Shepard, Eric Smith, Jerry Thompson, Mickey Torres and Steve Wohlgemuth.

Some 40 years ago Lesley stood in the Austin High locker room and told a team he believed in them, that he believed they could do something special.

Some 39 years ago — nearly half a lifetime — Lesley and these young men won a championship and built memories for a lifetime and beyond.

Monday night at Eastwood High School — there in front of Bobby Lesley Gymnasium — friends and family and anyone wishing to pay respects will gather to remember the good times, the lessons learned and so much more that is the measure of a very special man.

VIGIL TO COACH LESLEY

Vigil for Coach Bobby Lesley

Wwe honor a man who shaped generations with discipline, patience, and quiet strength.

Coach Bobby Lesley didn’t chase the spotlight — he built foundations.

He taught fundamentals, respect, and how to carry yourself.

His legacy lives in every Trooper who learned under him.

His impact lives in the standard he set.

We stand together in gratitude for the coach who gave this community more than wins,

he gave it a way to lead, a way to work, a way to live.

76 TROOPERS TO BE HONORED FOR 40TH ANNIVERSARY

76 Troopers Honored for 40th Anniversary

Featuring Jim Bowden, Tim Crenshaw, Gilbert Shepherd, and the Legacy of Coach Bobby Lesley.

The 40th anniversary celebration of the 1976 Eastwood Troopers State Championship was more than a reunion — it was a long‑overdue recognition of a team that carried the pride of El Paso across the entire state of Texas. When the players gathered again, the gym felt like it did decades earlier: alive with memory, respect, and the unmistakable bond of a championship.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP WITH LOU ROMANO

THE CHAMPIONSHIP EPISODE 1

Rutter, LaFever, and Pippen — One Story, One Voice, One Legacy

When Doug Rutter, Dean LaFever, and Assistant Coach Gary Pippen sit together to talk about the 1976 Eastwood Troopers, the conversation becomes more than a reunion — it becomes a living record of a championship season that shaped all three of them.

They speak with the ease of men who lived the same story from different angles, each carrying a piece of the truth.

Doug remembers the grind — the early mornings, the conditioning, the way every practice felt like a test of character. Dean remembers the chemistry — the trust, the unspoken communication, the way the team moved as one. Coach Pippen remembers the discipline — the execution, the mental toughness, the belief that this group could beat anyone in Texas.

Together, their voices form a single narrative:

They weren’t the biggest team. They weren’t the flashiest. But they were the most prepared. They were the most connected. They were the most relentless.

Doug talks about walking into gyms across the state with a quiet confidence, knowing the Troopers were conditioned to outlast anyone. Dean adds that the team’s bond was their secret weapon — a brotherhood forged through repetition, accountability, and shared sacrifice. Coach Pippen reinforces that what separated the ’76 team wasn’t talent alone, but the ability to execute under pressure, to trust the system, and to trust each other.

As they reflect, the conversation shifts to the meaning of recognition — the banner that finally rose into the rafters fifty years later.

Doug sees it as a correction of the record. Dean sees it as a tribute to their families and the Eastwood community. Coach Pippen sees it as history finally catching up to the truth.

Together, they agree on one thing:

The 1976 Troopers earned their place, and now it will never be forgotten.

Their combined voices tell a single story — a story of discipline, belief, and brotherhood. A story that didn’t fade with time. A story that still inspires. A story that finally, after half a century, hangs where it always belonged.

Watch all the episodes for more insight.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP EPISODE 2

Doug Rutter continues the conversation about the 1976 Eastwood Troopers’ State of Texas UIL Championship, joined by teammate Dean LaFever and Assistant Coach Gary Pippen. What follows is a deeper dive into the season that defined them — the pressure, the turning points, and the moments that forged a championship team.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP EPISODE 3

Doug Rutter continues the discussion of the 1976 Eastwood Troopers’ State of Texas UIL Championship with teammate Dean LaFever and Assistant Coach Gary Pippen, shifting the focus from the season’s defining moments to the deeper meaning behind what that team accomplished.

Doug reflects on how the Troopers carried themselves — not just as competitors, but as representatives of Eastwood High School and the El Paso community. Dean adds that the team’s identity was built on trust: trust in the system, trust in the preparation, and trust in each other. Coach Pippen reinforces that nothing about that season was accidental. Every drill, every adjustment, every late‑game decision was the product of discipline and belief.

As the conversation continues, the three of them revisit the turning points — the games where the Troopers proved they could handle pressure, silence doubters, and execute when it mattered most. They talk about the physical toughness, but also the mental edge that separated them from opponents across Texas.

What emerges is a shared understanding:

The 1976 Troopers didn’t just win a championship — they set a standard.

A standard for preparation, for unity, and for representing a city that often had to fight for recognition.

Doug, Dean, and Coach Pippen speak with the clarity of men who lived it and the pride of men who know the legacy still matters. Their voices blend into a single truth: that season shaped who they became, and its impact continues to echo fifty years later.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP EPISODE 4

Doug Rutter Continues the Discussion with Dean LaFever and Assistant Coach Gary Pippen

Doug settles in, the kind of posture that says he’s ready to go deeper — not into the highlight‑reel moments, but into the parts of the journey that shaped who they became long after 1976.

Doug Rutter:

“When people talk about that championship, they talk about the final score, the trophy, the banner. But the real story — the one that actually mattered — happened long before we ever stepped into Gregory Gym. Dean, Coach… there were stretches that could’ve broken a lesser team.”

Dean nods, already knowing where Doug is headed.

Dean LaFever:

“Oh yeah. That mid‑season grind. We were winning, but nothing came easy. Every team wanted to be the one to knock us off. Every gym we walked into, we were the show.”

Coach Pippen leans forward, hands clasped, the coach in him still alive.

Coach Gary Pippen:

“You boys had targets on your backs. And you handled it. That’s what impressed me most. You didn’t get rattled. You didn’t get caught up in the noise. You prepared. You executed. You trusted the work.”

Doug smiles — not out of nostalgia, but out of recognition.

Doug Rutter:

“That’s the part people don’t see. The conditioning. The discipline. The way we held each other accountable. We weren’t just playing basketball — we were building something. A standard. A culture.”

Dean jumps in, energized by the memory.

Dean LaFever:

“And we were connected. That’s what made us dangerous. We didn’t need to talk to know what the other guy was doing. We just played. We trusted each other. That’s rare.”

Coach Pippen nods slowly, the pride unmistakable.

Coach Gary Pippen:

“You earned everything you got. Nothing was handed to you. And that’s why that championship still means something today. It wasn’t luck. It wasn’t a moment. It was a season of doing things the right way.”

Doug looks at both men, the weight of fifty years settling in.

Doug Rutter:

“And now, after all this time, telling the story the right way — that matters. Because it wasn’t just a title. It was a brotherhood. It was Eastwood. It was history.”

The room falls quiet for a moment — not out of sadness, but out of respect. The kind of silence that only comes from knowing you lived something that still echoes.

THE CHAMPIONSHIP EPISODE 5

Doug Rutter Wraps Up the Discussion with Dean LaFever and Assistant Coach Gary Pippen

As the conversation winds down, the energy in the room shifts — not quieter, but deeper. The kind of stillness that comes when everyone knows the important things have been said.

Doug looks at Dean and Coach Pippen, two men who lived the same climb, the same pressure, the same unforgettable season.

Doug Rutter:

“When you step back and look at it all — the practices, the travel, the expectations, the way we pushed each other — you realize the championship wasn’t a single moment. It was a collection of choices. Daily choices. Hard choices. And we made them together.”

Dean nods, the pride unmistakable.

Dean LaFever:

“We earned every inch of that season. And the best part is knowing we did it the right way. No shortcuts. No excuses. Just work.”

Coach Pippen adds the final layer, the coach’s perspective that ties the whole story together.

Coach Gary Pippen:

“You boys set a standard. Not just for Eastwood — for what a team can be when everyone buys in. That’s why it still matters. That’s why people still talk about ’76.”

Doug takes a breath, letting the weight of fifty years settle into something clear and simple.

Doug Rutter:

“And that’s why we’re telling it now. Because the banner isn’t just a symbol of what we won — it’s a reminder of who we became. A team. A family. A piece of Eastwood history that deserved to be remembered.”

The three men share a quiet moment — not nostalgia, but recognition. The kind that only comes from knowing you lived something rare, and finally gave it the voice it always deserved.

TEAM OF THE WEEK

76 team recognized as Team of the Week

TEAM OF THE WEEK PT 2

More on Team of the Week Celebration.

REVISITING THE CHAMPS

Lou Ramano catches up with the team.

UNVEILING OF THE BANNER

The unveiling of the banner honoring the 76 champs.

THE 76 CHAMPIONSHIP

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KVIA COVERS THE 50TH CELEBRATION

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EASTWOOD VS VICTORIA