UTEP basketball team to host “Jim Forbes Classic Presented by Speaking Rock” over Thanksgiving week 

EL PASO, Texas - The UTEP men’s basketball team’s MTE (multi-teams event) will be named after an El Paso icon. 

The Jim Forbes Classic Presented by Speaking Rock will take place during Thanksgiving week, Nov. 23-25 in the Don Haskins Center. 

Jim Forbes, one of three Olympians in the history of the UTEP men’s basketball program, passed away in January. 

He was a member of the 1972 United States squad that dropped a controversial 51-50 decision to the Soviet Union in the Gold Medal game at Munich, Germany. 

He is tied for fifth place in UTEP history with 20 double-double games, and his career rebounding average rates sixth in the Miner record book. 

Forbes played in 61 games for the Miners from 1971-74, averaging 10.6 points and 9.1 rebounds for Hall of Fame coach Don Haskins. 

Forbes was later a Hall of Fame coach in his own right, amassing over 700 victories during stints heading up the programs at Riverside High School and Andress High School. 

He was inducted into the UTEP Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. 

“Jim Forbes has meant so much to UTEP Basketball and the El Paso community, and we are delighted that our MTE will carry his name,” UTEP coach Joe Golding said. “We look forward to honoring Jim at the tournament, and giving Miner fans three days of great basketball on Thanksgiving week. We would also like to thank Speaking Rock for stepping up to sponsor this tournament, and Hotel Paso del Norte for also playing a huge role in making this a first-class event.”  

Located at 122 S. Old Pueblo Road, Speaking Rock is open 24 hours a day and seven days a week.  

Speaking Rock features live tribute shows, concerts and other live music events. The venue is also home to a full-service restaurant, café and bars. 

“We are pleased to be the title sponsor of this new event honoring a UTEP and El Paso great, Jim Forbes,” E. Michael Silvas, Governor of Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo, said. “Forbes epitomizes the heart and soul of the person who we all aspire to be. The Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo and its members cannot think of a more fitting tribute to Forbes’s life than working with UTEP to host a tournament bearing his name. We look forward to this becoming an ongoing event to celebrate a UTEP icon!  Go Miners!!” 

Hotel Paso del Norte represents the soul of downtown El Paso. 

The hotel’s iconic stained glass ceiling has been the city’s gathering place for more than 100 years. 

Hotel Paso del Norte is located at 10 Henry Trost Court.  

Matchups for the first day of the Jim Forbes Classic Presented by Speaking Rock (Nov. 22) are CSU Bakersfield vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 4 pm and UTEP vs. Alcorn State at 7 pm.  

Day two (Nov. 23) games are Alcorn State vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 4 pm and UTEP vs. CSU Bakersfield at 7 pm.  

On Nov. 25, Alcorn State will take on Cal State Bakersfield at 11 am, followed by UTEP vs Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 2 pm. 

Tickets are available by visiting www.UTEPMiners.com/Tickets or by calling (915) 747-UTEP.