Editing Maurice Cheeks (section)

==Early life and college==
Cheeks was born in [[Chicago]] on September 8, 1956, and grew up in the [[Robert Taylor Homes]]. He attended [[DuSable High School]].<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Jones |first=Gordie |date=August 27, 2018 |title=Long, Strange Trip Lands Ex-Sixer Maurice Cheeks In Hall of Fame |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/gordiejones/2018/08/27/long-strange-trip-lands-ex-sixer-maurice-cheeks-in-hall-of-fame/ |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=Forbes |language=en}}</ref> He only had significant playing time on the basketball team in his senior year.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jones |first=Gordie |date=September 7, 2018 |title=Mo's moment: Hall of Fame honor for Sixers great Maurice Cheeks a victory for the game |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/510563/2018/09/07/mos-moment-hall-of-fame-honor-for-sixers-great-maurice-cheeks-a-victory-for-the-game/ |access-date=2024-11-20 |work=The Athletic |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>  His high school teammate William Dise was heavily recruited by college basketball programs, and Dise told the schools that if they wanted him, they also had to offer Cheeks a scholarship to join him. Ron Ekker, head coach at [[West Texas A&M University|West Texas State University]] (now West Texas A&M) only agreed to accept both Dise and Cheeks after their high school coach, Bob Bonner, said Cheeks would eventually be the better player; and then watching Cheeks play in a local gym [[Pick-up game|pickup game]].<ref name=":0" />

Cheeks attended West Texas from 1974 to 1978, and was a four-year starter under Ekker. He wanted to leave after his first year, but his mother convinced Cheeks to stay.<ref name=":0" /> He was an all-[[Missouri Valley Conference]] player for three straight seasons (first team in 1975-1976 and 1977-1978, and second team in 1976-1977). He was selected team MVP three times. As a senior, he averaged 16.8 [[points per game]], and shot nearly 57% for his collegiate career.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Maurice Cheeks (2021) - Hall of Fame |url=https://mvc-sports.com/hof.aspx?hof=133 |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=mvc-sports.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Maurice Cheeks College Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/maurice-cheeks-1.html |access-date=2024-11-20 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref> 

As of 2024, Cheeks ranks 5th in [[field goal percentage]] in WTSU/WTAM history (56.8), 12th in points per game for a career (11.8) and total [[Field goal (basketball)|field goals]], and had the fourth most [[Free throw|free throws]] made in a single season (212).<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=2024 West Texas A & M Record Book |url=https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/sidearm.nextgen.sites/wtamu.internetconsult.com/documents/2024/10/31/2024-25_MBB_Record_Book.pdf}}</ref>

Cheeks was inducted into the West Texas A & M Hall of Champions in 1988.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Maurice Cheeks (1988) - Hall of Champions |url=https://gobuffsgo.com/honors/hall-of-champions/maurice-cheeks/110 |access-date=2024-11-21 |website=West Texas A&M University Athletics |language=en}}</ref> He was inducted into the [[Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame]] in 2021.<ref name=":1" /> He was selected to the Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball 50 Greatest Players.<ref name=":12" />