Amundson keeps ex-Lobo in his heart

Steve Guiremand

Friday, Jan. 30, 2004 | 9:45 a.m.

UNLV sophomore forward Louis Amundson has quietly been paying tribute to his former high school teammate and best friend Billy Feeney this season by wearing sneakers with "R.I.P. BF 34" written on the side in black ink.

Saturday night against New Mexico, he'll have some company when it comes to saluting Feeney.

The Lobos this season are wearing a black patch on their jersey that reads, "#3BF." Feeney, a 6-foot-9 transfer from Portland State, was to wear No. 3 for New Mexico this season after wearing 34 as a prep and was expected to play a key role on Ritchie McKay's squad this season. But Feeney committed suicide last August following the breakup with his girlfriend. He was found hanging from a pole outside a downtown Albuquerque apartment complex.

"It was tough," Amundson said. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with in my life. He was like my best friend. I picked him up from school every day and we played on the same basketball teams for most of our competitive careers. ... I think about him every day."

Especially this week.

Amundson joined the New Mexico team as pallbearers at Feeney's funeral on Sept. 2 in Boulder, Colo. A spillover crowd of 600 filled Sacred Heart of Mary Catholic Church for the funeral service.

"I saw pretty much the whole team there," Amundson said. "This will be the first time I've seen them since the funeral."

Amundson said he and Feeney had circled Saturday night's game on their calenders.

"We were both looking forward to the game," he said. "We've been playing with and against each other so long and it was going to be a cool opportunity to play against each other again at the next level."

The two considered attending Portland State together out of Monarch High School in Boulder, Colo.

"But it came down to what was going to be best for both of us," Amundson said. "I ended up coming here and he went to Portland State."

After one season, Feeney decided to transfer to New Mexico where he sat out during the 2002-03 season.

"No one seemed to know (anything was wrong)," Amundson said of Feeney's suicide. "It was just one of those things. You ask yourself all sorts of questions. You ask yourself why and what may have caused it? But there are no answers."

Amundson is coming off arguably his finest game as a Rebel when he was a perfect 7 of 7 from the field en route to 15 points and 6 rebounds in just 18 minutes during Monday night's 89-83 overtime loss at Colorado State. This despite hyperextending his right knee just three nights earlier during a violent practice collison with 6-foot-8, 250-pound center J.K. Edwards.

"I thought he was done for the year when he hit the floor," UNLV coach Charlie Spoonhour said.

"I'm a quick healer," Amundson said.

Maybe physically, but mentally it will once again be a challenge on Saturday night.