AISD superintendent shows his basketball cred

He’s no Dr. J, but Heath “Red Laces” Burns, Abilene Independent School District superintendent, showed his own razzle-dazzle Saturday during the first-ever 3-on-3 basketball tournament at the West Texas Sports and Fitness Expo.

Burns’ team, the Patriots, finished 3-1 and took second place out of five teams in the men’s open bracket.

In the final 15-minute half-court game, Burns missed his first shot, a long jumper without the jump, 17 feet out to the right. But when operating closer to the hoop, the big man showed technical footwork reminiscent, sort of, of Hakeem Olajuwon’s effective drop step.

He hit his next two of three, laying it up from under the hoop without ever facing the basket, but had his final attempt blocked out of bounds.

His team ultimately lost the game, but Burns — in a cutoff T-shirt and two knee braces — played spunky defense and used his power forward assets to block opponents way, way out.