Like most basketball fans, Jimmy Walton is watching the NCAA&160;Basketball Tournament on television and taking in the so-called March Madness.

Unfortunately, Walton believes he should have gotten a better view.

Walton’s University of Louisiana-Monroe team was one step away from qualifying for the tournament, losing to Lamar in the Southland Conference championship game.

&uot;We were not supposed to be at home when this started,&uot;&160;Walton said. &uot;We beat that team by 37 points a week before.&uot;

ULM&160;finished its season at 19-8.

&uot;It was an all right year, I’m just disappointed at the way it ended,&uot; Walton said. &uot;I didn’t want my career to end like that. Lamar had a No. 16 seed. If we had won I think we would have been an 11 or 12 because we beat Houston, Southern Miss and Samford.&uot;

Walton averaged 6 points a game and 5.8 assists.

Walton joined the Monroe school after two years at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.

As he has done most of his career, the 5-10 Walton had to prove he could play at that level.

&uot;It started out kind of slow, but picked up,&uot; he said. &uot;Last year coach was getting on me for my turnovers. This year I have a real good ratio. I went five or six games with 32 assists and only four or five turnovers.&uot;

Walton said that came with patience.

&uot;I would tell myself, ‘No, hold it.’ I would keep the ball myself until somebody got open instead of forcing it.&uot;

Walton said he began playing with more confidence halfway through this past season.

&uot;Coach didn’t feel like the point guards were taking over the game and dominating like they should,&uot;&160;Walton said. &uot;But then he gave me more freedom and that’s the best thing he could have done for me. It’s all about having confidence.&uot;

Walton admits he doesn’t like school, but is making the best of it.

&uot;And we should not have been in school last week,&uot; he said. &uot;Everybody wanted to see us on TV because we had the best team by far in the conference.&uot;

Walton will graduate after one more semester. He is taking physical education.

&uot;I’d like to coach somewhere and teach health class,&uot; he said.

Walton said he is looking forward to receiving his diploma, because when he was playing on the playgrounds at North Natchez Park, no one thought he would make anything of himself.

&uot;Even in high school people were saying I wouldn’t make anything of myself,&uot; he said. &uot;They said I would just fall by the wayside. I heard that so much I started believing it. But I knew I had to step up and be a man and take responsibility.&uot;

But Walton said he has no hard feelings.

&uot;I made it regardless of what people thought,&uot; he said. &uot;When I walk off that stage, it’s for me.&uot;

While Walton did not get a chance at the Big Dance, he can always cherish the year 1994, when he helped lead Natchez High to its first state basketball championship in Class 5A.

&uot;Nothing can take the place of that,&uot; he said. ‘It was great playing for Coach (Mike) Martin, who knew down inside I would make it. He believed in me and every time I talked to him he would motivate me to keep doing what I was doing.&uot;

Walton said he is now pursuing the possibility of playing overseas.

&uot;That would be all right if that would come through,&uot; he said.