From the time he first officiated a college basketball game in 1983, Gerald Boudreaux didn't think there had to be an adversarial relationship between coaches and referees.
"You can get along with people and still disagree," Boudreaux said. "It happens in politics, in business, in everyday life. Athletics doesn't have to be different. You have to work together in this."
That kind of philosophy must have worked, because the Lafayette native became one of the country's most respected officials. He earned his way to five NCAA Division I Final Four appearances and worked the national title game four times in a five-year period.
He obviously earned the respect of the state's basketball coaches, who honored him Saturday in Baton Rouge.
During the 34th annual Louisiana Association of Basketball Coaches awards banquet, Boudreaux received the "Mr. Louisiana Basketball" award.
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Dan McDonald • Written for the LABC • May 13, 2008