Student Spotlight - Stories about our Students
Bobby Hughes Honored On Senior Night
The clock read 10.2 seconds. The Patriots had the ball under the opposing team’s basket behind by one point. With little time remaining the ball was thrown in to a team member who passed to Number 10 as he broke from the baseline to the top of the key. Taking the pass 22 feet out with his back to the basket, Bobby Hughes spun, jumped, and drained a three pointer just before the buzzer to pull out another win for the Patriots. Such has been the spectacular college career of this athletic post player from Oklahoma.
With several games to go in the 2011 regular season and tournament games to follow, Bobby already has one first team All-American season (his Junior year) and player-of-the-week honors. Last year he received MVP honors during the regional tournament. His 1,848 total points, 1,086 rebounds, 141 blocked shots, and 189 steals puts him right up with elite players in BBC history.
There is much more to this young man from Grove, Oklahoma, than baskets and rebounds. Coach Dan Elliott says of Bobby, “He is one of the best players at our level in the country. He is our leader on the floor and is very coachable. He upholds his Christian testimony at all times and is willing to do what is asked of him.”
When asked why he chose BBC when he could have played for many colleges throughout the country, Bobby replied, “BBC has kind of run in my family. My grandparents met here, my parents met here, my Aunt and Uncle met here and my sister attended here. I used to come play in the BBC High School tournament, so when I was getting ready for college, I came down for Fellowship Week with my Dad and felt God leading me here very strongly.”
Bobby’s parents and grandparents can be seen in the stands at every home game and many away games throughout the season. Bobby’s grandfather, Gene Hughes, is retired from the pastorate in Kansas and serves on the staff with his son, Marty Hughes, pastor of the Independent Baptist Church in Grove.
Of his time at BBC, Bobby says, “I think the most important thing that I have learned at BBC is that God is unpredictable. Often we like to plan out how our life should be, when God has something so much better if we will release control. I came here as a basketball player with a future in business in mind, sandwiching ‘Christian’ somewhere in between. I’m leaving here as a devoted follower of Christ first and foremost with a future in missions in mind.”
Tall in stature, this lanky 6’9” senior has substantial plans for his future. “I believe in a God of unlimited power that desires us to dream big. My dream ministry is to organize and execute the largest evangelistic movement the world has ever seen in hopes that all might hear the Gospel and become disciples, thus ushering in the return of the Savior. It sounds crazy but I believe that it is what is commanded of us by Jesus Christ and I intend to put all my effort into seeing it accomplished.”
While some may question the young man’s idealism, anyone who has watched Bobby Hughes do the impossible on the basketball court for the past four years believe that in God’s strength he can accomplish his dreams. Our prayers will go with him for a bright and brilliant future in God’s service.
at BBC, Aaron was delivery manager at Lowes in Springfield. He and his wife, Chrissy, are members of High Street Baptist Church where they serve in the Junior High youth ministry. They have two children, Troy and Killey.