The past met the present last Saturday as Rodney McGruder, Nino Williams and other past Kansas State Basketball players got together and revived their glory days in an exhibition game against some local Manhattan, Wamego and Junction City high school basketball players.

The game took place in City Auditorium where many fans, young and old, came to watch old KSU idols such as McGruder take on a variety of young talent.

Among the high schoolers was Manhattan High senior and K-State commit Pierson McAtee, who played alongside Manhattan seniors Cole Dillon and Garrett Francis.

“It was a great experience,” McAtee said. He scored 30 of the points on the high school team in the 102-103 loss.

The team of high schoolers was coach by MHS boys basketball coach Benji George in the losing effort.

“We wanted some guys from the surrounding areas to play and we were able to do that so I think it was a fun time for the guys involved and hopefully for all the kids that came too,” George said.

The game went down to the wire as the KSU alums almost lost a three-point lead in the final seconds thanks to a shooting foul committed with 0.7 seconds to go in the game. They held on to the win by a point and thanked the fans for coming.

Highlights during the game included seeing ex-KSU center Jordan Henriquez-Roberts almost destroy the rim like he did countless times in the Wildcat uniform and McGruder drive and finish at the rim, just like he used to at Bramlage Coliseum.

“It was good to give back to the community that I played college in,” McGruder said.

He, along with Nino Williams, Martavious Irving, Thomas Gipson and Henriquez-Roberts made up the squad for last Saturday’s game.

“All these guys had great careers at K-State. You know it’s great that they were willing to do it and get the kids out and get some autographs, and supports KSU basketball too,”  George said.

At this time it is unclear if this was only a one-time event.