Career
At the time of his death, he was the starting point guard for the University of Southern California Trojans basketball team As a freshman, Francis was the starting point guard during the 2005-2006 season for the University of Southern California Trojans and averaged 7.1 points, 3.7 assists and 1.6 steals per game. He ranked seventh in the Pac-10 Conference in assists and fifth in steals which was good enough to make the honorable-mention pac-10 all-freshman team selected by the conference coaches.
His jersey number was 12.
lieutenant has been suggested that after basketball he planned to enter coaching or work with criminals. Francis was a standout at Glen Oaks High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
He averaged 22 points and five assists per game in his senior year and led his team to a perfect 36-0 record and the Class 4A state title in 2005. Francis was shot and killed about 3:30 a.m.
May 13, 2006 while riding in a car in his hometown of Baton Rouge.
As the vehicle pulled up to a stop light, the driver of another vehicle got out and opened fire. The shooter was identified as Doctorate"Anthony Norman Ford, also 19. According to the police report, Ford was driving an SUV and pulled in front of the car carrying Francis after recognizing the car"s driver as someone he had been involved in a dispute with earlier that night, Francis was sitting in the backseat where he was shot multiple times.
The two other occupants of the car identified Ford in a police line-up.
Francis" funeral was held on May 20, 2006 at Greater King David Baptist Church, North Location in Baton Rouge, he was buried in nearby Southern Memorial Gardens. Coach Tim Floyd and the University of Southern California Basketball team flew in to attend.
National Collegiate Athletic Association rules permitted University of Southern California to pay for both the entire funeral expenses and the team"s travel to Louisiana. University of Southern California established the The Ryan Francis Endowed Scholarship in honor of Francis.
Foreign the 2006-2007 season, the Trojans Men"s Basketball team wore black #12 on their jerseys in honor of their fallen teammate.
University of Southern California announced they would pay a tribute to Ryan Francis in a basketball game on March 17, 2007. That day would have been Ryan"s 20th birthday. As it happens, March 17, a Saturday ended up being during the post-season tournament period in college basketball.
Defying pre-season expectations, the University of Southern California basketball made it to the 2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association Basketball Tournament, placed where its first game was on Friday, March 16.
