BoilerUpload - Keady, The Three Amigos enter Purdues Hall (2024)

Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson weren't even born when Troy Lewis, Todd Mitchell and Everette Stephens were putting Purdue on the national map in college basketball circles.

But the trios have been compared often over the last three or so years since Hummel, Moore and Johnson have elevated Coach Matt Painter's program to heights not enjoyed since the days of "The Three Amigos" - the nickname used to refer to Lewis, Mitchell and Stephens their Purdue playing days from 1985-88.

Tonight the two trios crossed paths as Hummel, Moore and Johnson inducted Gene Keady's stellar trio, who are now each in their mid-40s, into the Purdue Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame in the Memorial Union.

"I think it's going to be neat for those guys to see them," Painter told GoldandBlack.com this morning from his temporary home in the newer part of Mackey Arena. "Obviously they're too young to have watched them play, but to see their numbers and their impact and see the response that the Purdue faithful give them and to realize their time is probably coming here in the next 15 to 20 years themselves, it will give them a little bit of sense of how much it meant to those guys while they still have another year to play."

A crowd of approximately 300 filled the main ballroom in the Union to take part in the Hall of Fame festivities. Hummel, Moore and Johnson were joined by teammate Lewis Jackson. St. John's coach Steve Lavin, a Boilermaker assistant from 1989-91, was also in attendance. Next month Keady will officially join Lavin's staff as a senior adviser.

Not only was it a sight to see today's Boilermaker basketball standouts honor yesteryear's stars, but also Painter inducted Keady, his former coach and predecessor.

Needless to say Keady was thrilled with the honor.

"It means all the work, tears, blood and everything that we did to get there was worth it," said Keady, who is Purdue's all-time winningest men's basketball coach after amassing a record of 512-270 in a quarter of a century leading the Boilermakers. "I'm very humbled by it.

"I had a lot of people that helped me. I didn't do it by myself certainly � great assistant coaches, trainers, my wife. The people around you make you a good coach. I'm being rewarded because of having good people around me."

Keady led Purdue to six Big Ten championships (1984, '87, '88, '94, '95 and '96) as the program advanced to postseason play in 22 of his 25 seasons, including 17 NCAA Tournament appearances. In addition, he graduated nearly 90 percent of his players, including Lewis, Mitchell and Stephens.

Keady said having his successor induct him was "really special."

"I have a great deal of love for him because he's doing a fantastic job and he's done a great job getting the program back to where we wanted it, and I'm really proud of him," Keady said.

Add to that Troy, Todd and Everette going in with him and Keady said "it couldn't be any better."

"It's pretty special for him and I think it's going to be a special night with Everette Stephens, Todd Mitchell and Troy Lewis going in with him because I know those three guys and how much they meant to him and they meant to the men's basketball program," Painter said.

"He's very deserving. He gave half of his professional life to Purdue University. What was pretty unique was that people tried to come and get him away from Purdue and he stayed out of loyalty and stayed and continued to fight and tried to help Purdue get better each year."

Painter was being recruited out of Muncie Delta High School when Troy, Todd and Everette were seniors at Purdue.

In 1987-88, "The Three Amigos" capped their stellar collegiate careers by winning an outright Big Ten championship, earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and advancing to the Sweet 16. They all left as 1,000-point scorers after leading the Boilermakers to a combined record of 96-28, including 29-4 as seniors when the program enjoyed a No. 2 national ranking.

Lewis, a second-team All-American in 1987-88, was very humbled by his inclusion in the Hall.

"I never thought this would even be possible," said Lewis, who ranks as the school's fourth all-time leading scorer (2,038 points). "I just wanted to come here and win games, win a championship, Big Ten and national championship. To have this day with my two teammates, Todd and Everette, is something special."

As a senior, Mitchell took home third-team All-American honors. The two-time All-Big Ten pick ranks fifth in school history in free throws made (486), sixth in rebounds (740) and ninth in scoring (1,699).

"Not only is it a big thrill to be recognized in that select group, but to have the chance to come in with two of my brothers and a guy who I looked at as almost my second father with Coach, make it a really special night," Mitchell said.

Stephens, was a second-team All-Big Ten pick as a senior, is tied with Lewis for second in school history in three-point field goal percentage (44.7 percent), tied for third in assists (481), sixth in steals (157) and seventh in blocked shots (94 - most among guards).

"I really didn't expect it," said Stephens about going into the Hall. "It's definitely a huge honor. It's great going in with Troy, Todd and Coach Keady."

Keady, Lewis, Stephens and Mitchell were four of the nine Class of 2010 inductees. They joined track and field's Jeff Bolin, women's basketball's MaChelle Joseph, men's basketball's Carl McNulty, broadcaster Henry Rosenthal and football's Jerry Shay as this year's inductees.

In addition, Katie Douglas and Dave Young, who were members of the Class of 2009, were enshrined, but were unable to attend tonight's festivities.

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