Greatest Teams in Class A of ALL TIME

[Indian]

Bolton continued the good play into AA, they beat Anfernee Hardaway's team for the state in 88-89 (and one of the best teams ever in this immediate area on their way to doing so).

[TraderB]

How about this...I found an article on the 79 Bolton team..See if you remember some of these names....

 

Cecil Dowell,Dennis Willis,Darrell Brown,Mike Williams,Raymond Brown,Vincent Singleton,James Wiggins,Michael Burnett,Clint Bond,Draft Shaw,Quincy Anderson and James Leary....

 

Yeah, I recognize some of those names....Lots of talent!

 

I also (unfortunately) remember how they destroyed my Collierville team, practically every year!!! I think this '79 team really chewed us up, pretty badly, especially that lefty--James Wiggins! /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

BTW, where did you find that article?

[Purple & Gold Standard]

Yeah, I recognize some of those names....Lots of talent!

 

I also (unfortunately) remember how they destroyed my Collierville team, practically every year!!! I think this '79 team really chewed us up, pretty badly, especially that lefty--James Wiggins! /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

 

BTW, where did you find that article?

 

It's in the T.$.$.A.A book 'Field of Dreamers" by Gene Pearce....

[TraderB]

Bolton continued the good play into AA, they beat Anfernee Hardaway's team for the state in 88-89 (and one of the best teams ever in this immediate area on their way to doing so).

 

I had moved to the Mid-West at that time, and kinda' lost track of Tennessee High School Basketball (Al Gore hadn't invented the internet then, you know /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />)

 

Anyway, I guess that was Bolton's FINAL State Championship, before they "fell off the cliff." I suspect that Joe Branch was still the Head Coach, at that time.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

I do remember stumbling upon an ESPN story about a kid named Penny Hardaway-- from Memphis!! They talked about how he was one of the best 'ballers in the nation!

 

I was shocked, and wondered, who the heck is Penny Hardaway?

 

Well, I soon found out who Penny Hardaway was.....the rest is history!!

 

It's in the T.$.$.A.A book 'Field of Dreamers" by Gene Pearce....

 

Thanks.

[TraderB]

You'd have to talk to someone from there....Linden and Perry Co are out in the middle of nowhere....I remember when I went to that Perry County-Union City game in 97 at Linden it was like going back in time.....Sort of like going to Jo Byrns for a football game.....

 

/roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[Vandychris]

Wow--this is a great thread. Nobody is arguing or demeaning anyone. Lots of great history and stories. I am learning alot about class A history. Like I said origianlly, and I apologize for being wrong on my dates (they were from memory and us old guys have a tendancy to fade in that area as we age), but those were the teams that stuck out. I never knew of the Bolton history--however had heard of some of the Perry County teams. I remember one being discussed that had Mike Rhodes and another tat had Dave Rhodes (didn't he play at Vandy or was it Mike?). It would have been great to see some of those teams you guys are mentioning. I had the privelage of watching the PC teams of the 90's rampage their way through district 12a mostly unchallenged. Sure, Summertown could play with them but PC surely outclassed them most of that time. Had the privelage of watching BGA for their two year run in the early 90's. Seth Pettus was definately one of the most fundamentally gifted players in the post I have had the enjoyment of watching. He was a student of the game--I recall him asking his coach one evening what type of defense they were going to play at Mt Pleasant and that was during the girls game. I think he worked harder than even Ron Mercer during that time even though he didn't have the talent level. I also remember being at the region final game when Goodpasture handed them one of their losses and getting smoke and then two weeks later taking the state by beating that same Goodpasture team in the finals. Keep the debate going--I am enjoying hearing all of the stories.

[Ormeinkeig]

The East Robertson teams of 87, 88 and 89 were very good especially the 87 team.

[backintheday]

First, thanks for the topic--it made me finally get a sign in so that I could post!! Growing up in Linden, basketball was all we knew. Even as a kid, we all knew about the history of basketball there and those teams from '55-'57 that won state titles when there were no classifications of any kind. A school with 150 students would have to beat the big-city schools to win the title. I was fortunate in 7th and 8th grade to have a close friend whose brother played on the '75-'77 Perry County teams, so I got to see nearly every game. The post season games were stacked to the rafters wherever the district and regional tourneys were held. In high school, my best friend and I were lucky enough to run up to Vandy to watch Mike Rhodes play as part of the Town & Country duo. When I played at PCHS coached by Dave Rhodes (Ole Miss), we got to see some of the reels of the state tourney games and I was even fortunate enough to get to guard Mike at the alumni game after his college career ended. In the '96-'97 season, I was able to take my sons to see that amazing team open the season in the old gym and followed them throughout the season--I had moved away years ago.

Population growth has definitely NOT overtaken Perry County!! Still a very peaceful and country town--I get back 3-4 times a year to see Mom. Look for the Vikings to be back soon!! Thanks again for bringing back those memories!!

[Norman Dale]

As an Alcoa High grad who witnessed a lot of good Class A ball back in the late 70's, early 80's, my vote for the best team goes to the 1979 Bolton team. Alcoa played them in the state tourney that year with a good team and got absolutely waxed. As I recall, Bolton jumped out of the gate something like 24-0 on Alcoa. Bolton, imo, was as good as any team in any class that year.

 

Alcoa was very good in those days but couldn't get over the West Tennessee hump. In fact, we lost to the eventual state champs four years in a row:

 

1979-Bolton, first round

1980-Middleton, semifinals (Future Memphis State star player Bobby Parks went for about 38 against us)

1981-Bolton, semifinals in OT...

1982-Friendship, finals by 2 points

[Solomon]

The East Robertson teams of 87, 88 and 89 were very good especially the 87 team.

 

 

I can vouch for that.

 

The 87 state semi-final game against Clarksburg is still one of the saddest days of my sports life. I believe the final was 59-57 East Robertson and Clarkburg missed a shot at the buzzer that would have tied it. I think ER ended up beating Richland by about 20 for the state title.

 

The 88 Dresden team was also one of the best single A teams I have ever seen as well.

[imafootballfreak]

Now we are getting somewhere!!! Seems like I have heard the name Sylvester Gray before. So, how would they match up with other teams? If they were beating the bigger schools from Memphis, they had to have been good. Any other teams come to mind--especially from the old timers?

 

Wish I had seen this post earlier - but here you go.

 

The Joe Branch coached Bolton teams from 1984-1986 were the teams anchored by Sylvester Gray aka Syl. They beat Rodrick Watson's, who played at Wake Forest, West Side teams, Marvin Alexander's, Who Played at Memphis State, Whitehaven teams, Richard Madison's aka the Master Blaster's teams and won State Championships with ease. In 1986, Sylvester played the 4 and Lang Wiseman, of The University of Tenn, played the 2. Next to Syl, the 5 was 6-10. At point was a guy whose name I can't recall, but ended up at a junior college and played 6 years professionally in Spian. They dressed 15 and played 11 and ran the court in ways that were ahead of their time. The 2 guard looked like a young Curley Neal and was deadly anywhere inside about 23 feet. There was no three point line back then. If there was he would have been even more incredible. I played AAU ball, have coached AAU ball, coached for a living in the past, seen basketball all over the US, and played against some of these guys. The 1986 Bolton team was so far and away the best A basketball team ever fielded, that second place is in another galaxy. These guys, coincidentally, all grew up in the Bolton/Arlington area, went to Barret's Chaple Middle school together and lost 4 games in 6 years. It simply doesn't and hasn't ever gotten any better than this group. I hated them back then, but have grown to respect and appreciate just how unbelievable they were now.

[REBELRON]

Bolton in 1979. They went to AE that year and killed AE. AE had a darn good team that year.