Chester's Schwartz has special night in CIT
<span>CHESTER -- Fighting back tears, Chester point guard Jason Schwartz walked toward the new logo on the Colbert Gymnasium floor on Jan. 13.</span>
<span>With members of his family around him, Schwartz watched as the gym's basketball court was officially dedicated in honor of his grandfather, Carroll Ray "Rocky" Bridges, at halftime of the Yellow Jackets' game against Marissa-Coulterville in the Chester Invitational Tournament.</span>
<span>The ceremony included a video presentation of Bridges' life and Bridges' widow, Ina, was given a miniature version of the logo on the court.</span>
<span>Bridges' children, Scott and LeeAnn Spiller, along with his grandsons, Jason and Chris Schwartz, were in attendance.</span>
<span>"He was a lot of inspiration to me," Schwartz said of his grandfather, who died at his home in Chester on Oct. 23 at age 76. "He was like my life. He helped me through everything and did everything for me.</span>
<span>"Anything I wanted to do, he'd support."</span>
<span>A teacher, coach and athletic director at Chester High School for 25 years, Bridges was presented with an Emeritus Coach Award in 2000 by the Southern Illinois Coaches Association and was also recognized as one of the top athletic directors in Southern Illinois by the Egyptian Coaches Association.</span>
<span>In December, the Chester District 139 Board of Education unanimously approved dedicating the gym floor after Bridges. He was an original member of the Dick Roth Memorial/CHS Sports Hall of Fame at CHS before retiring from the committee in 2003.</span>
<span>"I think Rocky was such a wonderful man," said Chester boys basketball coach Brad Norman. "I didn't get a chance to know him and I wish I would have.</span>
<span>"But from everybody I talked to, he was a wonderful person and that's the reason why Jason and Chris are the way they are is because of Rocky."</span>
<span>Norman also coached Chris Schwartz to a regional title in 2013.</span>
<span>"It's a waterfall effect," Norman said. "He did a great job raising his kids and they did a great job raising Jason and Chris.</span>
<span>"Rocky meant a lot to this school for more than 30 years. I think (the ceremony) was something that was well-deserved and it was an awesome PowerPoint presentation and an awesome ceremony."</span>
<span>Schwartz had 18 of his game-high 27 points in the first half, as Chester built a 35-15 lead at halftime en route to 55-28 win over the Meteors.</span>
<span>"I calmed myself down, thought about the game and went out and played," Schwartz said on refocusing for a second half in which he scored nine points.</span>
<span>Schwartz, who was averaging 9.6 points per game coming into the contest, hadn't scored more than 16 in a game previously this season.</span>
<span>"I felt really good (about my game)," Schwartz said. "I came out and hit shots really well."</span>
<span>Chester improved to 10-6 with the win over Marissa-Coulterville and 4-4 when Schwartz scores in double figures.</span>
<span>"As much as I want to talk about him being a great ballplayer, he's a great person," Norman said of Schwartz. "That's first and foremost. Him and his brother both are awesome kids.</span>
<span>"When he came out of the game, I'm completely honest in saying I didn't think he had 20 points, I thought he had 15. He was so consistent in the three quarters he was in."</span>