Every year at this time when basketball is cranking up and when the Holiday tournaments are going on my mind always goes back to my growing up days. When my sister played for South Iredell, my family would go watch her play. She was on the JV team at the time. We would watch the JVs and stay for the varsity games as well. On the girls varsity team they had triplets that were Jrs and an older sister that was a senior. To top it off they had a younger sister who played on JV that was a freshman. If my mind recalls right they pulled up the younger sister and let her play on the Varsity team. One night they showed all the sisters playing in a game. They showed it on the news. Saw lot good games with girls and boys team. South‘s varsity boys were really good and won conference that year. The starters were outstanding. With girls varsity they had a good line up of starters. I watched lot of wins with this team. I believe they won the conference as well. Good old days of basketball. Anyone have any basketball stories to tell would be good.
Those were the days of HS basketball
- Thread starter Vik-Val 86
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I remember when RJR was 3 time defending state champions they played against LeBron James his senior year of highschool. I think it was played at Greensboro colleseum to a record crowd of over 16,000. Reynolds had a player Reyshawn Terry that went to UNC
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I can remember going to the state championship games one year at the Dean dome and Bartlett-Yanceyville was playing. Their fan base really turned out and they had a chant that went B Y (slight pause) B U C (longer pause) S. They were rocking the place with that, and it was really impressive to see and hear.
Hence the WSFCS Reyshawn Terry rule. He left Glenn one day and played for RJR the next day.
That team also had Justin Bohlander who went to UNC too and played more than Terry their freshman year… but then just up and left the team. Also had about five other D1 guys, most of them 6-7 and up. And didn't even win their conference because Chris Paul was at West Forsyth.
Traditional’ public school ball was just different before so many of the better players started going to charter and private schools. That same year, Mount Airy played Oak Hill, kept it competitive, and didn’t even win 1A that year (Thomasville did).
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RJR would usually have a foreign exchange student that would be 6'7 or taller. Think Howard West coached RJR then.
And Andre Gould was his recruiter
Really barlett yancey? What years was this? That’s a school I never thought had much success at anything but always thought that with the right coach could be special
I had to look it up. They beat N. Surry 84-68 in 1988. I would have never thought it was that long ago, but there it is.
Would like to see that school get good….i deer hunt near there and I bet that place would travel well
I was at that game. Honestly, I don't think Terry was the same after going up against LeBron.
Coolest thing was seeing Julius Peppers walk up to LeBron to get his autograph.
BY was really good in the late 80's/early 90's. They were in our conference (ER) during those years.
My dream matchup back then was to see RJR go up against West Rowan. I simply could not believe how tall those teams were.
I've got a TON of memories. This, however, might still be my best/funniest one.....
Back around 2001, there was a phenom around my area named JamesON Curry. Curry was a sophomore at Eastern Alamance and was putting up ridiculous numbers. It just so happened that the Eagles were in the same conference as Randleman. When they came to the roundabouts, I decided to see just how good this guy was.
I got to the gym and sat on the visitor side. Home side was jam packed. Game gets going and I'm thinking, "Okay, this guy's pretty good."
Towards the end of the first quarter, I glance over towards the corner of the home side (where the entrance is). Sitting a few rows up, I notice a man who looks extremely out-of-place. He's wearing this extremely fancy suit. He looks like he should be chilling in an upscale cigar lounge in upper Manhattan. While I"m thinking this, it suddenly hits me like a ton of bricks. I'm looking at...........Matt Doherty.
He had snuck in (but didn't stay unknown for long). You could literally see a wave of people turning to tell the person next to them that stretched all across the gym. Suddenly, people were sneaking towards him to get his autograph. By the time halftime rolled around, half of the home side was trying to talk to him. The second half actually was delayed because of this.
Funniest thing was kids sitting on the far side who couldn't believe it. One kid blurted out, "That's Matt Doherty down there!" Another replied, "You lyin, you lyin!"
Back around 2001, there was a phenom around my area named JamesON Curry. Curry was a sophomore at Eastern Alamance and was putting up ridiculous numbers. It just so happened that the Eagles were in the same conference as Randleman. When they came to the roundabouts, I decided to see just how good this guy was.
I got to the gym and sat on the visitor side. Home side was jam packed. Game gets going and I'm thinking, "Okay, this guy's pretty good."
Towards the end of the first quarter, I glance over towards the corner of the home side (where the entrance is). Sitting a few rows up, I notice a man who looks extremely out-of-place. He's wearing this extremely fancy suit. He looks like he should be chilling in an upscale cigar lounge in upper Manhattan. While I"m thinking this, it suddenly hits me like a ton of bricks. I'm looking at...........Matt Doherty.
He had snuck in (but didn't stay unknown for long). You could literally see a wave of people turning to tell the person next to them that stretched all across the gym. Suddenly, people were sneaking towards him to get his autograph. By the time halftime rolled around, half of the home side was trying to talk to him. The second half actually was delayed because of this.
Funniest thing was kids sitting on the far side who couldn't believe it. One kid blurted out, "That's Matt Doherty down there!" Another replied, "You lyin, you lyin!"
One correction: Randleman didn't have the infamous roundabouts back then. They came around 2007 ((IRC).
Another good memory is when West Rowan played Trinity over in Trinity. It was 2003. Game was slated to start at 7. Stands were slam full by 6. People were literally sitting in each other's laps by 6:30. It was also the hottest I've ever been in a gym.
Game starts and West Rowan scores. Trinity brings the ball up court, crosses halfcourt, and proceeds to hold it. They hold the ball for around a minute. A West Rowan fan a few rows up/behind me yells out, "What are y'all chicken!" and starts making clucking sounds. Had the whole side cracking up.
Game starts and West Rowan scores. Trinity brings the ball up court, crosses halfcourt, and proceeds to hold it. They hold the ball for around a minute. A West Rowan fan a few rows up/behind me yells out, "What are y'all chicken!" and starts making clucking sounds. Had the whole side cracking up.
And then their were the Sleepy Taylor days in the 70s.
Freedom played N. Forsyth in the 1986 western regionals at E. Burke. They had Jeff Denny, who was going to Carolina and Brian Howard, who would play for NCSU and the Mavericks. The Pats trailed the whole game, but kept chipping away and tied it on a short jumper by John Yancey with about 10 seconds left.
N. Forsyth got the ball into the front court and called timeout to set up a play with six seconds left in the game. After the TO they came out and inbounded the ball to Denny who looked up for the clock. But he was looking at the wrong wall and Neel Garrison came up behind and stole the ball for a layup to win the game.
We got whipped by W. Charlotte in the regional finals and we’ve had a lot of great wins since then, but that was one of the most exciting games I can remember.
N. Forsyth got the ball into the front court and called timeout to set up a play with six seconds left in the game. After the TO they came out and inbounded the ball to Denny who looked up for the clock. But he was looking at the wrong wall and Neel Garrison came up behind and stole the ball for a layup to win the game.
We got whipped by W. Charlotte in the regional finals and we’ve had a lot of great wins since then, but that was one of the most exciting games I can remember.
Didn’t he get busted with drugs his senior year or something?
They also had 6'7 David Carlyle that played at Wake Forest. Unfortunately Shueler never won a state championship at North but he was great guy and good coach. He and his wife passed away last year few weeks apart. As a North graduate the two teams that should have won championships is this team and the all-star baseball team they had with Dustin Ackley and other stars that got beat by Madison Bumgarner 1-0.
Yep. That happened during the beginning of his senior year. He got busted in a county-wide sting operation. I believe Carolina pulled their offer right after that.
Curry did go play for Oklahoma St. under legendary coach Eddie Sutton. Had a good career. He was drafted by Chicago but never played. He has the dubious honor of holding the NBA record for the shortest career. Curry played one game for the Clippers, and he was only in the game for four seconds.
He is still one of the best players I've ever seen in my general area. I actually wanted him to go to a private school. Players were jealous of him and tried to rough him up.
One of the craziest memories I have is the 04 4A West final between RJ Reynolds and Charlotte Garinger. Terry and Bohlander and a big guy who went to ECU had graduated from the RJR team people talked about earlier on here. (Side note: maybe the craziest thing about that 03 Reynolds team that nobody's mentioned is that they weren't actually even one of the elite NC teams that year...lost 11 games, didn't win their conference, and went out in the second round of the playoffs. Again, public school ball was different back then). RJR was still loaded the next year and probably better as a team. Stars were a big guy named Giddens who went on to a pretty good career at Richmond and a wing named Fulp who played small school college ball but was a great high school player. But they also had Othello Hunter who went on to Ohio State and the NBA, and Mike Copeland who was on UNC's 09 championship team. Garinger was way smaller and scrappier but was hanging tight--down by like five with maybe a minute and a half left. Then the power goes out at Joel Coliseum and just doesn't come back. Garinger has to drive back to Charlotte that night, then come back the next day for the final 90 seconds or so. Which is basically just RJR icing the game at the free throw line. Probably one of the craziest things that will ever happen in NC high school basketball.
I also remember being at that West Regional at Joel Coliseum (this was the first year they moved it from high school gyms in Hickory) and thinking it was way too big for the crowds, even with some local teams and lots of D1 prospects playing. And then I remember being blown away when I went back the next year and saw Pisgah's crowd make it seem like an appropriate venue, even with their 3 hour drive. Canton is nuts for their sports teams, but that was also a once in a lifetime team at Pisgah. Bears had Jake Robinson, who was 6-8 and is still #2 in WCU history for 3's made. Plus had three guys who all had really good D2 careers. One as 4-year starting PG at Mars Hill, one as an all-conference wing at Lenoir Rhyne, and one as an all-conference forward at Brevard College back when they were still D2. I don't think we will ever see anything like that level of talent west of Asheville any more. For one, things are just different with plants closing, etc. But even if somehow 4 players at that level came through a school at the same time now, I would bet on one or two leaving for a private school, and maybe another deciding to focus on football/baseball/soccer year round...I would be shocked if a group like that made it to senior year playing together now.
I also remember being at that West Regional at Joel Coliseum (this was the first year they moved it from high school gyms in Hickory) and thinking it was way too big for the crowds, even with some local teams and lots of D1 prospects playing. And then I remember being blown away when I went back the next year and saw Pisgah's crowd make it seem like an appropriate venue, even with their 3 hour drive. Canton is nuts for their sports teams, but that was also a once in a lifetime team at Pisgah. Bears had Jake Robinson, who was 6-8 and is still #2 in WCU history for 3's made. Plus had three guys who all had really good D2 careers. One as 4-year starting PG at Mars Hill, one as an all-conference wing at Lenoir Rhyne, and one as an all-conference forward at Brevard College back when they were still D2. I don't think we will ever see anything like that level of talent west of Asheville any more. For one, things are just different with plants closing, etc. But even if somehow 4 players at that level came through a school at the same time now, I would bet on one or two leaving for a private school, and maybe another deciding to focus on football/baseball/soccer year round...I would be shocked if a group like that made it to senior year playing together now.
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That was in 1988. Hall-of-famer Lindsey Page was the coach. Great players included Keith Claiborne, Dana Elliott and point guard Louis Williamson among others. Louis Williamson is now the head coach.
In 2003, Reidsville rolled over West Columbus 86-60 in the state championship game at the Dean Dome. I remember the West Columbus coach saying that Reidsville's starting 5 was the best team he had seen all season and Reidsville's second five was the second best team he'd seen.
Coach Ron Parson did it all season - subbing 5 players at a time (the 11th man was also great). It has to go down as the deepest basketball team in NC history.
This passage was from the Wilmington Star-News:
"Reidsville is known for playing 11 players in each quarter. To West Columbus, it must have seemed like all were on the court at once.
Jerome Simpson, who was named Most Valuable Player of the Game, tossed in 19 points on 9 of 12 shots from the floor for the Rams. His teammate – set shooter Clint Blackburn – added 18 points. Anthony Crews, one of four starters from the state championship football team in the fall, set the tone on defense with four of Reidsville's nine blocked shots."
Reidsville lost four games in that 23-4 season ... and at least two of them were to conference rival Burlington Cummings. But the Rams beat the Cavaliers in the regional championship game. That was a great Cummings team ... Drew Williamson, now an assistant coach at ranked Florida Atlantic team, was one of the stars. Yeah, the Florida Atlantic team that made it to the final 4 last year and lost to San Diego State by 1 point.
Anybody remember who Reidsville's other losses were to?
Other players on that Rams' team: Tony Lewis, Maurice Hooper, Wayne Blackwell, Devon Hammock, Raphael Chestnut, Dominique Stevenson and Reggie Slade. I'm missing one of the 11.
Coach Ron Parson did it all season - subbing 5 players at a time (the 11th man was also great). It has to go down as the deepest basketball team in NC history.
This passage was from the Wilmington Star-News:
"Reidsville is known for playing 11 players in each quarter. To West Columbus, it must have seemed like all were on the court at once.
Jerome Simpson, who was named Most Valuable Player of the Game, tossed in 19 points on 9 of 12 shots from the floor for the Rams. His teammate – set shooter Clint Blackburn – added 18 points. Anthony Crews, one of four starters from the state championship football team in the fall, set the tone on defense with four of Reidsville's nine blocked shots."
Reidsville lost four games in that 23-4 season ... and at least two of them were to conference rival Burlington Cummings. But the Rams beat the Cavaliers in the regional championship game. That was a great Cummings team ... Drew Williamson, now an assistant coach at ranked Florida Atlantic team, was one of the stars. Yeah, the Florida Atlantic team that made it to the final 4 last year and lost to San Diego State by 1 point.
Anybody remember who Reidsville's other losses were to?
Other players on that Rams' team: Tony Lewis, Maurice Hooper, Wayne Blackwell, Devon Hammock, Raphael Chestnut, Dominique Stevenson and Reggie Slade. I'm missing one of the 11.
The one who went to Brevard, Whitson, is the coach now.
That team was well coached and EXTREMELY well conditioned. That Cummings game at Lawrence Joel was a great one and they had some athletes (TJ Gwynn, Dwight Jones) but Pisgah gassed them by the end of the game. I do remember Elliot McDowell (Pisgah) attempting a dunk right as time was coming to a close and missed it. We were going to win regardless (and shouldn't have attempted the dunk but kids get emotional). Dwight Jones (Cummings) got the rebound or kickout and went down the court to HAMMER a dunk as time expired to show his displeasure with our decision. I think he was just a freshman. Pisgah absolutely destroyed Warren County in the state finals. I believe they started the game on like a 20-0 run and it never got better for Warren County.
Saw this one as well. The vast majority of Cummings fans thought they were going to run Pisgah right out of the gym. They did not have an answer for Jake Robinson. That Pisgah team, to this day, is one of the best pure teams I've ever seen.
Saw someone mention Roy Williams on another thread and it jogged a memory.....
Can't remember the exact year. But.....it was PJ Hairston's junior year. Dudley was playing (I believe) West Charlotte in the regional final over in Greensboro. During the game, Dadgum Roy comes in and takes a seat on press row in the far right corner.
As the game goes on, West Charlotte comes down to Roy's end and PJ gets whistled for a foul. As the near side ref starts to head to the opposite end, Roy looks at him and goes, "The real foul happened five seconds ago." That ref turned as white as a bar of Ivory soap. It was hilarious.
One other amazing thing about him is that he must've taken around 7,000 pictures with fans in about a five minute span during halftime.
Can't remember the exact year. But.....it was PJ Hairston's junior year. Dudley was playing (I believe) West Charlotte in the regional final over in Greensboro. During the game, Dadgum Roy comes in and takes a seat on press row in the far right corner.
As the game goes on, West Charlotte comes down to Roy's end and PJ gets whistled for a foul. As the near side ref starts to head to the opposite end, Roy looks at him and goes, "The real foul happened five seconds ago." That ref turned as white as a bar of Ivory soap. It was hilarious.
One other amazing thing about him is that he must've taken around 7,000 pictures with fans in about a five minute span during halftime.
I sat next to Roy when he came to watch Luke Maye play against West Charlotte (Meeks).
