Chadron State College Athletics

Rhodes was arguably the best player on the best men’s basketball team Chadron State has had. He was a 6-foot-2 forward on the 1966-67 team that had a 22-6 record, won both the Nebraska College Conference and the NAIA District 11 championships and represented Nebraska at the National Tournament.
Rhodes scored 676 points, the most ever for a CSC player, while averaging 24.1 points. He shot 52 percent from the field and 83 percent from the line and averaged 5.9 rebounds.
He was at his best in many of the Eagles’ big games. For instance, he tallied 29 points during a 111-73 victory over Kearney State and poured in 39 and 26 points when the Eagles clinched the title by thumping Peru State 114-85 and 103-79.
In the playoffs against the Omaha, Rhodes scored 29 points during a 121-87 victory at home, the Eagles’ 30th straight home-court win. He hit 39 again when the Eagles sewed up the championship 81-65 in Omaha.
Chadron State became the first Nebraska team in a decade to win a game at the national tourney when it defeated Millersville of Pennsylvania 83-66 behind Rhodes’ 29 points.
For nearly 50 years, Jim and his wife Connie have lived in the Indianapolis area, where they owned and operated a fabric company. He continues to serve as a volunteer youth basketball coach. The couple has three daughters and several grandchildren.