PLANT CITY, Fla. – Local folks packed the stands and three local legends lined up on the Plant City High basketball court Friday night next to framed jerseys with their former numbers on them.

The honorees: Horace Broadnax (No. 3), Russell Evans (No. 24) and Ginger Bennett Forte (No. 23).

Plant City mayor Rick Lott then declared that, "No one will ever wear their numbers again."

In honor of their great accomplishments on that very basketball court, Lott said, their numbers "are retired."

The players' list of accomplishments, read over the loudspeakers between Friday's boys and girls basketball games, certainly made the honors worthy.

The list for Broadnax included: Leading the 1982 Raiders to a Class 4A state title, making Plant City the last public school from Hillsborough County to win a state basketball title. Broadnax moved on to Georgetown University where he helped the Hoyas win the 1984 NCAA national championship.

After graduating college, Broadnax worked 10 years as a lawyer before returning to his love of his basketball, which translated to coaching. Since 2005, Broadnax has coached Savannah State University.

Evans was an absolute superstar in football, baseball and basketball. As a quarterback, the 1991 graduate was named a Parade All-American before moving on to Northwest Mississippi Community College, where he broke the school records for passing yards, led the team to a national championship, was a two-time all-american, national player of the year and was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame.

As a Plant City basketball player, the 6-foot-4 Evans could play any position and could score from anywhere, ultimately ending his career with 2,540 points, a Hillsborough County record that stands to this day.

As a senior in 1984, Forte averaged 20 points a game and helped lead the Raiders to an undefeated record before finally losing in the regional playoffs. She went to play at the University of South Florida, where she scored 1,483 career points, ranking her seventh on the Bulls' all-time women's scoring list. Forte eventually returned to Plant City High, where she presently teaches cosmetology.