I GREW UP during the golden years of the West Virginia Conference tournament. During the 1960s, '70s and early '80s, the event was a hot ticket in our town, and it featured many stars from in-state schools.
I GREW UP during the golden years of the West Virginia Conference tournament. During the 1960s, '70s and early '80s, the event was a hot ticket in our town, and it featured many stars from in-state schools.
Most fans remember the legendary names. Here are some of the forgotten names, some of the overlooked stars from a time when the tournament was a tough ticket.
Bill Auxier, West Virginia Tech - Tech had a lot of stars in the mid-'60s. Players like Mike Barrett, Onas Aliff, Tom Chaney and John Gourley were very popular on the Montgomery campus. So was Auxier, who earned all-tournament honors in 1967.
Tim Brinkley, Alderson-Broaddus - He was considered one of the best all-around athletes from Harrison County. He made the all-tournament team for the Battlers in 1968 and '69.
Emil Boatwright, Morris Harvey - Boatwright was one of many great players to come out of Logan High School in the mid-'70s. He earned all-tournament honors as a sophomore in 1978.
Ted Darcus, Fairmont State - He was coach Joe Retton's first star with the Falcons. He played for Retton both at tiny Barrackville High School and later at Fairmont State, where he earned MVP honors of the 1965 tournament. Fairmont defeated West Virginia Tech, led by Mike Barrett, in the '65 title game.
Jim Davidson, Concord - Davidson helped Willie Akers win a state title at Logan before playing at Concord. Eventually he transferred to Marshall and was a starter on the Thundering Herd's NIT teams of 1967 and '68.
Dave Hamilton, West Virginia State - Hamilton was from tiny Class A Gary District High School at a time when schools were still segregated. He was a bigger-than-life player in the conference and was the MVP of the 1969 tournament.
Roger Hart, Morris Harvey - The former Charleston High Mountain Lion was known as Jolly Roger when he earned all-tournament honors in 1965 and '66. His 1966 team was upset by West Virginia Wesleyan in the title game.
Jim Hayes, Morris Harvey - Hayes may be the best player to come from Herbert Hoover. He played for coach Rich Meckfessel at Morris Harvey and earned all-tournament honors in 1967.
I GREW UP during the golden years of the West Virginia Conference tournament. During the 1960s, '70s and early '80s, the event was a hot ticket in our town, and it featured many stars from in-state schools.
Most fans remember the legendary names. Here are some of the forgotten names, some of the overlooked stars from a time when the tournament was a tough ticket.
Bill Auxier, West Virginia Tech - Tech had a lot of stars in the mid-'60s. Players like Mike Barrett, Onas Aliff, Tom Chaney and John Gourley were very popular on the Montgomery campus. So was Auxier, who earned all-tournament honors in 1967.
Tim Brinkley, Alderson-Broaddus - He was considered one of the best all-around athletes from Harrison County. He made the all-tournament team for the Battlers in 1968 and '69.
Emil Boatwright, Morris Harvey - Boatwright was one of many great players to come out of Logan High School in the mid-'70s. He earned all-tournament honors as a sophomore in 1978.
Ted Darcus, Fairmont State - He was coach Joe Retton's first star with the Falcons. He played for Retton both at tiny Barrackville High School and later at Fairmont State, where he earned MVP honors of the 1965 tournament. Fairmont defeated West Virginia Tech, led by Mike Barrett, in the '65 title game.
Jim Davidson, Concord - Davidson helped Willie Akers win a state title at Logan before playing at Concord. Eventually he transferred to Marshall and was a starter on the Thundering Herd's NIT teams of 1967 and '68.
Dave Hamilton, West Virginia State - Hamilton was from tiny Class A Gary District High School at a time when schools were still segregated. He was a bigger-than-life player in the conference and was the MVP of the 1969 tournament.
Roger Hart, Morris Harvey - The former Charleston High Mountain Lion was known as Jolly Roger when he earned all-tournament honors in 1965 and '66. His 1966 team was upset by West Virginia Wesleyan in the title game.
Jim Hayes, Morris Harvey - Hayes may be the best player to come from Herbert Hoover. He played for coach Rich Meckfessel at Morris Harvey and earned all-tournament honors in 1967.
Randy Jennings, Concord - Jennings came out of tiny Montcalm High School to have an outstanding career at Concord. He teamed with tournament MVP Will Johnson to lead the Mountain Lions to the 1979 tournament title.
Antonio Martin, University of Charleston - Martin was part of the great Northfork program of the early 1980s. He was recruited to UC by coach Tex Williams and was a part of an incredible era of Golden Eagles basketball.
Bill Moody, Fairmont State - He was from Class A Fairview High School in Marion County. An explosive scorer, Moody earned all-tournament honors in 1969 and led the Falcons to the tournament title.
Shan Phillips, Morris Harvey - He was only about 5-foot-5, but he is an overlooked part of the great tradition from Charleston High. Phillips earned all-tournament honors as a freshman in 1972 as Morris Harvey lost in the finals.
Joe Retton, Fairmont State - He doesn't make overlooked lists, but his name should never be forgotten. Retton's Fairmont State teams were brilliant in the early 1970s. He was the Vince Lombardi and John Wooden of the WVC. His teams won the tournament four consecutive times from 1973-'76. During that run Bill Lindsey, Lerman Battle and Davey Moore were named MVPs of the tournament.
Jackie Joe Robinson, Glenville - A White Sulphur Springs native, he led coach Jess Lilly and the Pioneers to an upset win over Morris Harvey in 1970. He was named the MVP of the tournament.
Curtis Townes, West Virginia State - The Williamson Wolfpack teams of the early 1980s were some of the best to come out of the coalfields. Townes led Williamson to the 1981 AAA state-title game, where Princeton pulled an upset. He was one of the more underrated players of that era and went on to play at State, where he earned all-tournament honors in 1983.
Reach Frank Giardina at fl...@hotmail.com.
Post a comment