Orsten Artis Explained

Orsten Artis
Caption:Flournoy at UTEP in 1966.
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lb:175
Birth Date:7 June 1943
Birth Place:Gary, Indiana, U.S.
Death Place:Merrillville, Indiana, U.S.
High School:Froebel (Gary, Indiana)
College:UTEP (1963–1966)
Draft Year:1966
Career Position:Forward
Highlights:

Orsten Artis (June 7, 1943[1] – December 26, 2017) was an American basketball player. He started at guard for the 1965–66 Texas Western Miners basketball team, the first team in history to win an NCAA championship with five African-American players in the starting lineup.

Artis, a 6'1 guard from Froebel High School in Gary, Indiana, played for coach Don Haskins at Texas Western University (now the University of Texas at El Paso). With teammates Bobby Joe Hill, David Lattin, Nevil Shed and Harry Flournoy, Artis was a part of the first team with an all-black starting lineup to win an NCAA championship after upsetting the Kentucky Wildcats in the 1966 NCAA championship. Artis averaged 12.6 points per game that season and was the team's third leading scorer.[2] Artis served as co-captain of the team with Harry Flournoy.[3]

The team was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007 and were the subject of the book and movie Glory Road, he was portrayed by Alphonso McAuley in the film.[4]

Artis later became a police detective in his native Gary.[5]

Artis was one of thirteen inductees in the Indiana Hall of Fame 2014 induction class.[6]

Artis died on December 26, 2017, in his home in Merrillville, Indiana.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Basketball's Biggest Upset. 9780595378722. Sanchez. Ray. December 2005.
  2. http://utepathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/archive/041607aah.html 1965-66 Texas Western stats
  3. Web site: Team captain of Texas Western's 1966 national championship team dead at 74 . kvia.com . December 26, 2017 . December 27, 2017.
  4. http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/texas-western Hall of Fame bio
  5. http://gloryroad.utep.edu/players/artis/default.aspx UTEP biography
  6. Web site: 2 from region among Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame 2014 induction class . www.nwitimes.com . December 19, 2013.