BY TIM HAYES
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER
The mid-1970s could be classified as one of the golden eras of high school basketball in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee. The level of play was high, the pool of quality teams was deep, and stars and scorers were abundant.
Consider the night of January 25, 1974.
From the 20 games that were reported the next day in the Bristol Herald Courier, five players scored 30 or more points. Compare that to today: From the 27 games reported last Friday night, only one area player scored 30 or more points.
Pennington’s Steve Marsee was the big scorer on that night nearly 35 years ago, collecting 46 points during a 89-50 victory against Thomas Walker. Marsee hit 19 of 32 field-goal attempts and was 8 of 10 from the foul line.
Whitewood’s Darrell Maxwell, Johnson City’s Mike Vaughn, Powell Valley’s Jerry Myers and Coeburn’s Hurley Mitchell also scored 30 points that night.
Meanwhile, Castlewood’s Randy Poole – the area’s scoring leader, averaging 32.8 points in 11 games – scored 28 points in Castlewood’s 92-61 win over rival St. Paul.
There were big numbers recorded in other statistical categories, too. Just a few nights after pulling down 38 rebounds in a game, Barry Hamler grabbed 36 mores as Powell Valley improved to 15-0 with an 85-61 victory over J.I. Burton.
Here is a look at more historic moments from this week in high school basketball history:
January 23, 1953
Billy Jack Sams scored 14 points as Elizabethton crushed Tennessee High, 66-36. Gene Barr led THS with 10 points … Ben Silas scored 20 points to lead Slater to a 65-44 victory over Langston.
January 20, 1968
Mike Morton led four players in double figures with 16 points as Tennessee High easily topped Abingdon, 70-36. Skip Wyatt (11 points), John Todd (10 points) and Tommy Smith (10 points) also played well for the Vikings … Ron Wallace scored 19 points in Holston Valley’s 86-56 victory over Virginia High. John Holdway (18 points) and Bernard Birdwell (13 points) led VHS … Mack Smith, a 6-foot-6 center, scored 21 points to highlight Richlands’ 51-48 triumph over Castlewood. Terry Wess added 18 points for Richlands … Perry Norris fired in 29 points to lead Tazewell to a 79-72 win over Grundy. David Barrett added 23 points for the winners.
January 25, 1974
Sullivan Central earned a 70-48 win over Greeneville. Senior David Price finished with 24 points and 16 rebounds … Kentley Washington and Raphael Cansler combined for 36 points in Virginia High’s 73-57 victory over Abingdon. Gale Thompson led Abingdon with 15 points … Tom Buchanan scored 25 points to lead Rich Valley past rival Saltville, 62-56 … Steve Mellinger (23 points), Tony Edmondson (11 points) and Charlie Smith (10 points) helped Patrick Henry survive a 67-64 overtime win against Marion. John Crewey led Marion with 20 points, while Johnny Wilson contibuted 18 and Dan Slemp added 14.
January 25, 1983
Jimmy Whitaker scored 21 points to highlight Holston’s 50-34 victory over Chilhowie … Mike Mech and Tim Beavers combined to hit 5 of 8 free-throw attempts in overtime as Virginia High netted a 62-59 win over Marion. Mech finished with 24 points … Abingdon’s Robert Hayter scored 17 points in a 77-58 win over Patrick Henry … David Robinette scored 37 points and Ervinton overcome the play of P.J. Catron to post an 83-66 victory over Rich Valley. Catron finished with 45 points, 25 rebounds and five blocks … Todd Smith had 13 points and 16 rebounds as Sullivan Central downed Sullivan South, 61-46 … Kenny Joyce’s 16-point outburst highlighted Sullivan East’s 67-35 victory over Volunteer.
January 24, 1990
Trazel Silvers scored 31 points to lead Ervinton past Pound, 84-72 ... Aaron Baumgardner scored 19 points as Sullivan East stopped John Battle, 75-62. Stuart Mink led Battle with 15 points … Mitch House finished with 19 points, including the 1,000th of his career, as Castlewood claimed an 87-63 win over Grundy. Castlewood also got 18 points from Chad Hicks, 17 from Shannon Dishman and 13 from Bob Bratton … Geoff Goff scored 18 points as George Wythe downed Graham, 80-64.
thayes@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2570
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