GASTONIA GLORY: From Rivals to NCAA Legends — The Night James Worthy and Sleepy Floyd Reunited on College Basketball’s Biggest Stage
On March 29, 1982, the Louisiana Superdome became the center of the basketball universe. The NCAA Championship game was already a marquee event, but for the small city of Gastonia, North Carolina, it was something far more personal. Two of its own—James Worthy of the University of North Carolina Tar Heels and Eric “Sleepy” Floyd of the Georgetown Hoyas—stood on opposite benches, chasing the same dream under the brightest lights in college basketball.
It was a matchup years in the making. Worthy, a 6-foot-9 forward with a smooth mid-range game and thunderous finishes, had been a dominant force for UNC. Floyd, a wiry and explosive guard with ice in his veins, had built a reputation at Georgetown as one of the most clutch scorers in the nation. Both had learned the game on the same blacktops of Gastonia, both had represented their hometown with pride, and now both were about to make history—one as a champion, the other as a legend in defeat.
The stakes were enormous. For North Carolina, led by head coach Dean Smith, this was a chance to silence critics who said Smith couldn’t win the big one. The Tar Heels’ starting lineup featured not just Worthy, but a freshman named Michael Jordan and senior point guard Jimmy Black. On the other side, Georgetown head coach John Thompson had built a powerhouse around Floyd and freshman center Patrick Ewing, a defensive force who would go on to define an era.
From the opening tip, it was a duel worthy of the Gastonia storyline. Floyd’s quick first step and deadly pull-up jumpers kept Georgetown in control early, while Worthy’s relentless scoring in the paint made him the Tar Heels’ go-to weapon. By halftime, the game was tight, every possession feeling like a chapter in a story that had started years earlier in their hometown.
Then came the defining moments. With less than a minute left, North Carolina clung to a one-point lead. Georgetown had the ball, but a costly turnover handed the Tar Heels a chance to seal the game. In the end, it was Jordan’s baseline jumper that pushed UNC ahead for good, and a late Worthy steal that closed the door on the Hoyas’ hopes.
Worthy finished with 28 points, earning the NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. Floyd, despite the loss, poured in 18 points and showed the poise and fire that had made him one of the most feared guards in the country.
The box score told one story. Gastonia told another. In a town where everyone knew the Worthy and Floyd families, the game was less about winners and losers and more about pride—about two young men who had taken their shared beginnings to basketball’s ultimate stage.
That night in New Orleans wasn’t just a championship game. It was “Gastonia Glory”—a reminder that sometimes the biggest moments in sports are also the most personal. And while only one could cut down the nets, both returned home as legends.
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