Jeff Arms

[jaystockton]

I remember a basketball player form Celina,TN back in the 80's that dominated the courts (Jeff Arms). I also watched him pretty much dominate the softball field also. Does anyone know what he is doing now or if he is still involved in softball anymore? All I know is that he was a pleasure to watch and the gym always filled up when he was on the court. By the way, he also hit some of the longest homeruns I have ever seen. Heard he was the Federal Law out west somewhere.

[Norman Dale]

I remember a basketball player form Celina,TN back in the 80's that dominated the courts (Jeff Arms). I also watched him pretty much dominate the softball field also. Does anyone know what he is doing now or if he is still involved in softball anymore? All I know is that he was a pleasure to watch and the gym always filled up when he was on the court. By the way, he also hit some of the longest homeruns I have ever seen. Heard he was the Federal Law out west somewhere.

 

 

When I was in college at Tennessee Tech I saw Celina play East Robertson in a tourney game at TTU. Arms was a great high school player. I'm not intending to sound racist here, but he had some of the best hops I have ever seen on a white guy in my life. He was an explosive leaper and had a good all around game as well.

 

That was the only time I saw him play in person and he made a lasting impression on me so I'm sure he had quite a following during his playing days in Celina. I lost track of him after that, although I vaguely remember he played at Tech and did pretty well but I was already out of school by the time he got there.

[85warrior]

He had the best "hops" of ANY player I have ever seen. No idea what he's doing now. I believe he averaged like 30 ppg at Celina. I know he could fill it up.

[SingleAFan]

Jeff was IMO the best male basketball player to ever come out of Celina, that district,and that Region. At 6'3 or better he could take you from the outside by simply elevating over you to shoot, he could score off the dribble, & the Celina press could be be stifling and usually led to lots of rim rattling dunks finished by him. Remember his Sr. year in high school was the last year before the 3 point shot was brought into high school. I'd guess he averaged easily 30+ a game and that was with no 3 point line. And he wasn't their only player averaging double digit scoring. In the mid 80's Celina dominated the upper Cumberland area and had no peers in class 1a or 2a in that area. The only team they could not beat was BOLTON from Memphis who had players like Sylvester Gray & Vincent Askew who both went on to the NBA. Seemed like each year Celina would draw Bolton 1st game in the state tournament.

 

As an opponent I remember how he never talked much trash just played hard (especially on the offensive end) rebounded like a beast, and loved to snowbird at times defensively to absolutely tear down the goal on dunks. He was easily the best player on our schedule & we played against Carlos Groves (East Robertson/UT), Phillip Hutchison (Lipscomb/Lipscomb-college basketball's all-time leading scorer when he graduated), as well as many Nashville & middle Tennessee 4A and 5A publics at that time.

 

I also remember him entering a dunk contest at TSU. It was highly publicized and most Nashville dunkers showed up and strutted around thinking they had no peers. Then this white kid from the sticks of Celina stepped up and threw it down every which way imaginable to a thunderous roar and the entire gym erupted. Needless to say he easily walked away the winner and won over the crowd at th same time.

 

Rumor had it that his vertical leap was over 40 inches and his work ethic to develop his jumping & shooting skills was incredible.

 

Offensively, Arms could do it all in high school!