BHC'S BACK IN TIME: Trazel Silvers saw many things during long hoops career

With basketball in tow, Trazel Silvers has traversed more miles than most other area athletes.

He was a star at Ervinton High School and established the school’s single-game scoring record by pumping in 60 points in a game two decades ago.

That was followed by a successful career at East Tennessee State University, where he was a fan favorite and key contributor during the Buccaneers’ glory days.

He then played three seasons for the Harlem Globetrotters, traveling to places he had only read about. Mexico. Greece. Africa. Asia. He saw them all, entertaining fans in those places along the way.

After his time trotting, he played 12 professional seasons in Europe, most of them in France.

He’s now retired, but looks back fondly on all his stops.

So did the guy that grew up in the tiny community of Clinchco in the coalfields of Southwest Virginia ever think his basketball journey would include forays into all corners of the globe?

“Not at all,” Silvers said.

Everything for Ervinton
Silvers breaks into a smile when reminded of the events that unfolded on Jan. 26, 1990. For those present, it probably remains a fond memory as well.

That Ervinton throttled Twin Springs by an 89-59 margin wasn’t the only intriguing storyline. Silvers was playing at a higher level than usual.

“I knew I had a lot of points,” Silvers said. “I never knew I had that many at that time. I thought I had played a couple of games where I thought I had more points than I did that game.”

He made 18 field goals, including one 3-pointer, and a 23-of-30 showing from the free throw line. The final tally: 60 points.

He broke the previous Ervinton single-game record of 53 points set several years earlier by Mike Gulley.

“I wasn’t one to chase down scoring 60 points in a game,” Silvers said. “But at the time, everything was falling. Guys were getting me the ball when I was open.
“I remember at one point in the fourth quarter one of my friends, Stephen Dixon, came to me and said, ‘Man you’ve got this many points and a chance to break the record.’ I was like ‘All right.’
“[Ervinton head coach Ed Whitaker] left me in. He wasn’t trying to run the score up, he just thought it was an appropriate time and felt I deserved it and kept me in.”

It was the most eventful game in an eventful senior season for Silvers. He averaged 29.7 points per game and was the Bristol Herald Courier’s Southwest Virginia player of the year.

It was a far cry from where Silvers started at Ervinton. He recalled being disheartened and frustrated as an eighth grader and freshman as the Rebels struggled for victories and even contemplated
transferring to nearby Haysi.

However, his family talked him out of it and it turned out to be a good move.

“All the guys on my team ended up becoming dedicated and we started playing ball throughout the summer, instead of just the season,” Silvers said. “That’s what changed the whole program. We stuck
together and played a lot of summer camps and stuff together.”

He also credited Whitaker as having a huge influence on him during the course of his high school career.

“He was a basketball player himself at Clinch Valley College. He was a good basketball player as well as a good coach,” Silvers said. “It’s a whole lot easier playing for someone that actually knows what you are going through and knows the game.”

Silvers’ career at Ervinton would end in disappointing fashion. The Rebels, despite a 21-3 record, suffered a five-point loss to J.I. Burton in the semifinals of the Region D tournament and fell one game short of qualifying for the state tourney.

“That was one of my toughest losses and that goes through collegiate and professional,” Silvers said. “We were the two best teams in the region that year, hands down. One of us had to go home and unfortunately, it was us.”

However, Silvers’ career was far from over.

Globetrotting
When it came to the recruiting game, Silvers garnered plenty of attention after putting up his big numbers at Ervinton. He was a huge University of Kentucky fan and entertained the thoughts of possibly playing for the Wildcats.

Wake Forest University was also in pursuit of his services.

But in the end East Tennessee State University won out.

“It was like everything was written out,” Silvers said.

He would be a part of two NCAA tournament berths during his time with the Bucs and became one of the Southern Conference’s most dynamic players by the time he graduated.

As he stood in an empty Mini-Dome last month on the campus of ETSU, he recalled when the place was rocking and Buc basketball was the most sought after ticket in the Tri-Cities.

“This place was an advantage,” Silvers said. “We’d come up here and playing at home, we felt like we were 10 points ahead when we started the game, no matter who we were playing.”

After leaving ETSU, Silvers fell short in his bid to reach the NBA. He did hook on with the Globetrotters.

“I thought it was all a joke at first,” Silvers said. “I used to watch them play and when they signed me I said, ‘I don’t know how to do any of the tricks that y’all do.’ They just said ‘We can teach you that.’ ”

Dubbed as “Quick” Silvers by the team, Silvers had a blast during his three seasons touring the world.

“The best part of my career,” he said.

That was followed by his long tenure in Europe. He played against future NBA stars like Tony Parker and Boris Diaw during his time in France and learned a lot from the experience.

Now, the ex-Globetrotter is more of a homebody. He retired after last season and now makes his home full-time in the area. His focus now is being a father to his young daughter.

“Life after basketball,” Silvers said. “I’m enjoying it.”

Trazel Silvers
High School: Ervinton
College: East Tennessee State University
Then: A do-everything star at Ervinton High School, Silvers still holds the school record for single points in a game with 60. He later starred at ETSU and played for the Harlem Globetrotters and several European professional clubs.
Now: Recently retired, Silvers now works in the Boones Creek section of Johnson City and is enjoying life as a husband and father.
From the Archives: “From 12 to 14 feet out he’s got as good a jumper as anyone around. I expect to see good things out of him. I hope he gets a top-notch scholarship.” – Twin Springs coach Gary Addington to the Bristol Herald Courier in 1990.

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BHC’s Back in Time
This is the sixth story in a series that will highlight former prep standouts from the area and what they are doing now. The spotlight will be on athletes who starred in various eras, the impact they made and their reflections on their glory days:
Today: Trazel Silvers, Ervinton
June 30: Trey McCall, Abingdon
June 17: Zack Moore, Pound
May 29: Carrie Myers, Lee High
May 13: Luke Owens, Grundy
April 15: Misty Davis Miller, Honaker