For its final January home boys basketball game, Providence Catholic welcomed back alumni. It was a special night for one basketball alumnus in particular: Walter Downing, Class of 1981.

“In Walter’s four years as a varsity starter, his team collected 104 wins,” said Frank Palmasani, Walter’s former coach at Providence. “They won four regional titles, four sectional titles, achieved three supersectional victories and had a third-place state finish in addition to a state championship in 1979.”

During the ceremony, President Father John Merkelis, OSA, Principal Paul Houston, athletic director Doug Ternik and boys basketball coach Kyle Murphy presented a replica of the jersey Downing wore during the 1979 state championship and a ball that acknowledges his point totals.

Downing is Providence’s all-time leading scorer and shot blocker. He was the first player in Illinois to win the Mr. Basketball Award and was selected by the IHSA as one of the top 100 players to ever play in the state tournament competition. In 1981, Downing was one of only 25 players selected from across the country to play in the McDonald’s All American Game. Other players that year included Chris Mullins, Patrick Ewing and Michael Jordan.

“Walter Downing was the epitome of everything any coach would want from a star player,” said Palmasani. “Always humble, always deferring success to his teammates, always interested in the good of the group, Walter’s entire life has been built around serving others.

“His basketball prowess in high school and college will be highlighted tonight during the ceremony, but his character and the positive influence he has had on young people in his 20-plus years of teaching will be his lasting legacy. I have been blessed to call him a friend for over 40 years.”

After graduating from Marquette University, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers. He played professional basketball in Europe before returning to the U.S. Walter retired last year from teaching high school English after a 20-plus year career at Hinsdale South.

Downing was joined at the event by his grade school coaches, Larry Wiers and Dan Polley, in addition to his high school coach, Palmasani, and Pat Sullivan, who established a camaraderie with Downing during Pat’s summer basketball camps at Providence. Assistant coaches during Downing’s four years included Dick Mandella, Mike Slovick, Randy Stelter and Jack McCarthy.

Downing needed only a few words to sum up the night.

“They say, ‘Give people the roses while they’re alive,’ ” Downing said. “If these are roses, tonight is a botanical garden.”