▁helped ▁the ▁Cow bo ys ▁make ▁their ▁first ▁Final ▁Four ▁appearance ▁in ▁ 4 5 ▁years . ▁He ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁play ▁profession ally ▁in ▁Spain , ▁Finland , ▁Cy pr us ▁and ▁Australia . ▁With ▁the ▁Br is b ane ▁Bul lets ▁in ▁Australia , ▁he ▁led ▁the ▁league ▁in ▁scoring ▁and ▁earned ▁All - N BL ▁Second ▁Team ▁hon ors ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Born ▁in ▁Id abel , ▁Oklahoma , ▁R uther ford ▁was ▁raised ▁in ▁the ▁nearby ▁football - c raz ed ▁town ▁of ▁Bro ken ▁Bow . ▁He ▁grew ▁up ▁playing ▁football , ▁but ▁gave ▁it ▁up ▁to ▁concent rate ▁on ▁basketball . ▁He ▁also ▁played ▁baseball ▁as ▁a ▁child ▁alongside ▁his ▁five ▁brothers . ▁ ▁R uther ford ▁attended ▁Bro ken ▁Bow ▁High ▁School , ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁three ▁years ▁of ▁basketball ▁for ▁the ▁Sav ages . ▁He ▁aver aged ▁ 2 8 . 6 ▁points ▁and ▁ 1 4 . 6 ▁reb ounds ▁as ▁a ▁senior ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 – 9 0 , ▁leading ▁Class ▁ 4 A ▁in ▁scoring ▁while ▁finishing ▁second ▁in ▁re bound ing . ▁He ▁had ▁a ▁ 4 9 - point ▁performance ▁during ▁the ▁season ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁the ▁Oklahoma ▁Basketball ▁Co aches ▁Association ' s ▁ 1 9 9 0 ▁Player ▁of ▁the ▁Year . ▁He ▁was ▁also ▁a ▁successful ▁long ▁j um per ▁in ▁high ▁school . ▁ ▁College ▁career ▁In ▁the ▁fall ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 9 ,