Oklahoma State University Athletics
Forte To Join Century Club Friday Night
November 12, 2015 | Cowboy Basketball
Oklahoma State vs. UT Martin
Gallagher-Iba Arena - Stillwater, Okla.
Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 - 7 p.m.
TV: Fox Sports-Plus
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Tickets
By Matt Mitchell, OSU Athletics
STILLWATER - Throughout its storied basketball history, Oklahoma State has seen only a few dozen players reach the century mark in games played. On Friday, Nov. 13, current Cowboy, Phil Forte, will join those ranks.
The senior from Flower Mound, Texas, has quietly carved out an impressive legacy for himself and could move into the Cowboys' top 10 for most games played by the end of this season.
"Any time I step on the court, I just try to give everything I have to this school," Forte said. "Coach Ford and his staff took a chance on me when a lot of people didn't, so any time that I have the opportunity to step on the floor I just try to leave it all out there for the fans. By the time I'm finished here playing, I want them to be able to say it was worth taking that chance."
"I owe everything to this university and this coaching staff, so to me it is a big deal," Forte said.
When Forte first arrived on campus with fellow freshman Marcus Smart in 2012, Forte was flying under the radar. That quickly changed, however, as the talented young Cowboys began to take the nation by storm, culminating with a massive over No. 2 Kansas at Phog Allen Fieldhouse, snapping the Jayhawks' 33-game home winning streak.
"That's something you'll never forget," Forte said. "Just that experience and how rare of a feat that is to at their place, so that's definitely a memory that comes to my head first."
After a breakout 2012-13 season, OSU entered 2013-14 ranked No. 8, its highest preseason AP ranking since 2004-05. An early season showdown with No. 11 Memphis in Stillwater served as a coming-out party for the Cowboys. OSU made a statement to the rest of the nation that it was going to be a force to be reckoned with, blowing out the Tigers by 21 points in front of a packed crowd with NBA star Kevin Durant in attendance.
"It was a great atmosphere, especially for a non-conference game," Forte said. "It was a different atmosphere. The place was packed. It was Gallagher-Iba at its finest for sure. It was a fun atmosphere to play in."
During Forte's time at OSU, the Cowboys have been very successful playing Kansas. This past season, OSU knocked off the Jayhawks for the third-straight year, celebrated with another court-storming. The Jayhawks were the second of three-consecutive ranked opponents the Cowboys beat during a stretch in February.
"I think that stretch that we went on when we beat KU, obviously here and storming the court," Forte said. "Any time you storm the court that's obviously going to be something you remember. Any time you have a chance to beat a team like KU, that's always a great memory and something that you'll never forget."
Many of the games Forte has been a part of have been memorable, but his memories of his teammates also stand out to him, and he credits them for his success.
"I've had so many good teammates here," Forte said. "You go through Marcus [Smart], Markel [Brown], Le'Bryan Nash, Cobbo [Michael Cobbins], Anthony Hickey and you can go on down the line and there's been so many good players that I've been surrounded with and it's made me better as a player and as a person."
With the departures of all those teammates, Forte is taking on the role of the team's primary leader. Forte admitted it is a new experience for him, but he is ready for the challenge.
"It's definitely been different," Forte said. "It's definitely been a learning process for me from day one of my junior year until this point. I'm still trying to learn much as I can and get better each and every day and give my teammates and my coaches everything I have."
As Forte prepares to play in his 100th career game, he looks to savor every moment of his final season.
"I'm just trying to take it one day at a time and really cherish every game," Forte said. "This is my last first official regular season game. Each day I'm never going to get that day back, so I just try to really enjoy that and make the most of every opportunity."
Forte hopes to leave a lasting impact as a great and an even greater teammate and person.
"I want to be remembered as someone that was going to play their hardest every single game," Forte said. "A team guy and someone who didn't really care about point or their averages. As someone who is going to go out there and dive on the floor, play through any injury and sickness, and just do whatever they can for this school and this university. These three years, going on four, have been the best years of my life and it's something I'm trying to cherish."
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Gallagher-Iba Arena - Stillwater, Okla.
Friday, Nov. 13, 2015 - 7 p.m.
TV: Fox Sports-Plus
Radio: Cowboy Radio Network
Tickets
By Matt Mitchell, OSU Athletics
STILLWATER - Throughout its storied basketball history, Oklahoma State has seen only a few dozen players reach the century mark in games played. On Friday, Nov. 13, current Cowboy, Phil Forte, will join those ranks.
The senior from Flower Mound, Texas, has quietly carved out an impressive legacy for himself and could move into the Cowboys' top 10 for most games played by the end of this season.
"Any time I step on the court, I just try to give everything I have to this school," Forte said. "Coach Ford and his staff took a chance on me when a lot of people didn't, so any time that I have the opportunity to step on the floor I just try to leave it all out there for the fans. By the time I'm finished here playing, I want them to be able to say it was worth taking that chance."
"I owe everything to this university and this coaching staff, so to me it is a big deal," Forte said.
When Forte first arrived on campus with fellow freshman Marcus Smart in 2012, Forte was flying under the radar. That quickly changed, however, as the talented young Cowboys began to take the nation by storm, culminating with a massive over No. 2 Kansas at Phog Allen Fieldhouse, snapping the Jayhawks' 33-game home winning streak.
"That's something you'll never forget," Forte said. "Just that experience and how rare of a feat that is to at their place, so that's definitely a memory that comes to my head first."
After a breakout 2012-13 season, OSU entered 2013-14 ranked No. 8, its highest preseason AP ranking since 2004-05. An early season showdown with No. 11 Memphis in Stillwater served as a coming-out party for the Cowboys. OSU made a statement to the rest of the nation that it was going to be a force to be reckoned with, blowing out the Tigers by 21 points in front of a packed crowd with NBA star Kevin Durant in attendance.
"It was a great atmosphere, especially for a non-conference game," Forte said. "It was a different atmosphere. The place was packed. It was Gallagher-Iba at its finest for sure. It was a fun atmosphere to play in."
During Forte's time at OSU, the Cowboys have been very successful playing Kansas. This past season, OSU knocked off the Jayhawks for the third-straight year, celebrated with another court-storming. The Jayhawks were the second of three-consecutive ranked opponents the Cowboys beat during a stretch in February.
"I think that stretch that we went on when we beat KU, obviously here and storming the court," Forte said. "Any time you storm the court that's obviously going to be something you remember. Any time you have a chance to beat a team like KU, that's always a great memory and something that you'll never forget."
Many of the games Forte has been a part of have been memorable, but his memories of his teammates also stand out to him, and he credits them for his success.
"I've had so many good teammates here," Forte said. "You go through Marcus [Smart], Markel [Brown], Le'Bryan Nash, Cobbo [Michael Cobbins], Anthony Hickey and you can go on down the line and there's been so many good players that I've been surrounded with and it's made me better as a player and as a person."
With the departures of all those teammates, Forte is taking on the role of the team's primary leader. Forte admitted it is a new experience for him, but he is ready for the challenge.
"It's definitely been different," Forte said. "It's definitely been a learning process for me from day one of my junior year until this point. I'm still trying to learn much as I can and get better each and every day and give my teammates and my coaches everything I have."
As Forte prepares to play in his 100th career game, he looks to savor every moment of his final season.
"I'm just trying to take it one day at a time and really cherish every game," Forte said. "This is my last first official regular season game. Each day I'm never going to get that day back, so I just try to really enjoy that and make the most of every opportunity."
Forte hopes to leave a lasting impact as a great and an even greater teammate and person.
"I want to be remembered as someone that was going to play their hardest every single game," Forte said. "A team guy and someone who didn't really care about point or their averages. As someone who is going to go out there and dive on the floor, play through any injury and sickness, and just do whatever they can for this school and this university. These three years, going on four, have been the best years of my life and it's something I'm trying to cherish."
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