Best teams not to win a state title.

[FirestoneTigers]

That was a great team and one of the best to never win it but Whitestation had 5 major D1 guys on their team that year.  They were best team in state that year though Bearden got a lot of attention on the East end of the state.

So many Memphis teams that could've won it but couldn't get out of their region also.  A lot of Memphis teams have the kind of talent Bearden had that year every year.  It's crazy

I'd have to disagree with that. First, White Station only had 3 major D1 guys on that team(Hall, Jackson, and Hollins), one of whom was a sophomore(Hollins). Williams was the only other guy on the team who was D1, and he was more of a liability that season than an asset because of his conditioning, lol, something I remember vividly. Second, Craigmont, Melrose, Raleigh-Egypt, and Central were all better than White Station, not by much, but better, with Manassas just a hair behind them. I don't know about the whole state, but Craigmont was the best team in Memphis. They had a spectacular PG that year(Terrance Durham) who could find you wherever you were on the floor, and he had plenty weapons to find at that. Unfortunately, he pulled his groin after landing from a dunk in the District Championship against Raleigh-Egypt, and they ended up losing to Liberty in the Regional. Central was probably the 2nd best team that year. They ran White Station out of the gym in the Regionals, then proceeded to stall the ball in the 2nd half, lost their nerve, and totally collapsed to blow a 22 point lead. Outstanding personnel, but the most horrible coach I've ever witnessed.

So I would say:

Craigmont in 2009 & 2010(both more talented than the one that actually won in 2011)

Raleigh-Egypt in basically ANY year. Jimmy Adams could get you there EVERYtime, but never got the big one at that school. The best team he had was probably the 2006 team that lost to Shelbyville in the semis when Hamilton went undefeated. But also 2008 and certainly 2009 when they lost the title game to White Station when FOUR of Raleigh-Egypt's starters fouled out.

Melrose in 2009

Ridgeway in 2010 & 2012

Southwind in 2010 & 2011(they were the best in Memphis that season)

Central in 2009, 2010, & 2012

Manassas in 2008(I'm sure no one will disagree with that)

the aforementioned Mitchell teams

Kirby in 2008(state champ Ridgeway lost 3 games that season, 2 of them were to Kirby, lost to White Station in the Region semis)

 

And we don't have "alot of teams with the talent Bearden had every year". We have several teams with comparable talent most of the time, and once in a while we have a juggernaut year like 2010 or 2012

Edited February 14, 2014 by FirestoneTigers

[dogtruth]

Houston County in 1982-1983,they had Wayne Tiller-Tennessee,Reginald Tiller-Trevecca, Meme Ramey- Emory,Tyrone Dunn-Austin Peay, Donnie Cooksey, and Mike Carter.That team got upset by Hampton in the first round.The Houston Co. team in 91-92 was a great team also that got also got upset by Hampton in the first round.

Yes, Houston County had great teams those years. I would put Hampton's 1974 team in this category. Hampton was ranked #1 for the majority of the year in Class A, and defeated Happy Valley twice in the regular season and then again in the District Tournament. Hampton had to play Happy Valley for the fourth time that year in the Regional Semi's and was defeated. Happy Valley went on to win the State Championship that year in Class A. Hampton's season ended with only two losses (Happy Valley, and Dobyns Bennett)

[modincus]

Fayette ware 2004,2003, 2002, 2000, 1999, 1996, 1994, 1993, 1989, 1988, they had plenty of State Championship caliber teams but never had the coach

i have always said fayette ware and ripley were a coach away from greatness...

[REBELRON]

Maryville had great teams with Lee Humphrey.  The team that should have won state was those Alcoa teams with Micah Marsh and Little Al Davis.

[swanson71]

In 02-03 Red Boiling Springs went 27-5, ranked 7th in the AP polls, got upset by Clay County in the region semis. They had beat Clay County by double digits twice that year. Clay ended up losing to Temple by 7 points in the substate and Temple ended up winning the state in A that year, and Temple's game with Clay County was closer than any game they played in the state tournament. In 04-05 Pickett County and Temple were ranked #1 and #2 in the state and both were put out in the first round of the state tournament. Pickett got beat by Wayne County and Temple by Middleton. Middleton went on to win it that year....

[tnwareagle]

The Bradley boys, with Hare and Pickel, ( class of 2004) had a record of 100 wins and 10 losses, including an Arby's Classic Championship over White Station. Three trips to state losing in finals and quarter finals to White Station. Best group to ever play in this area in recent history!

[FormerCteamPresident]

Houston County in 1982-1983,they had Wayne Tiller-Tennessee,Reginald Tiller-Trevecca, Meme Ramey- Emory,Tyrone Dunn-Austin Peay, Donnie Cooksey, and Mike Carter.That team got upset by Hampton in the first round.The Houston Co. team in 91-92 was a great team also that got also got upset by Hampton in the first round.

I was sitting on the bench as a freshman for Hampton that year (82-83). You are correct... that was a heck of a team. Hampton ended up getting beat in the Championship game. Leon Tolley had one of the best individual state tournaments EVER by anyone in any class. Tourney MVP on the runnerup team. 

Edited February 25, 2014 by FormerCteamPresident

[uknoit2]

I was sitting on the bench as a freshman for Hampton that year (82-83). You are correct... that was a heck of a team. Hampton ended up getting beat in the Championship game. Leon Tolley had one of the best individual state tournaments EVER by anyone in any class. Tourney MVP on the runnerup team. 

YEP! I wonder how often that happens...That the State MVP isn't on the championship team?

Its always amuses me how so many teams in the state cant remember anything good about Hampton...maybe because most that post on these threads are just too young

[UC2008]

The 07 UC team was upset 2nd round of regionals finished the season 30-4. That def stopped a three peat for uc who went 37-0 the next season.

[ErikG]

Farragut in '82-'83 went 36-1. The loss was to Nashville East, 72-70, in the state tournament at Memorial Gym. Great team to watch. Ranked 11th nationally.

 

Austin-East had some outstanding teams in the 80s winning state titles in '85 and '87. The Roadrunners were runners-up in '82 and '86 and throughout the decade had teams with size, athleticism, and toughness.

[blitzinbuc]

I was sitting on the bench as a freshman for Hampton that year (82-83). You are correct... that was a heck of a team. Hampton ended up getting beat in the Championship game. Leon Tolley had one of the best individual state tournaments EVER by anyone in any class. Tourney MVP on the runnerup team. 

Speaking of Hampton, they won the state a couple times in the early 60's I believe, and that was before classification.  Buck Vanhuss was coach if I remember correctly.  I've always thought the movie Hoosiers could have been about them.

[FormerCteamPresident]

Speaking of Hampton, they won the state a couple times in the early 60's I believe, and that was before classification.  Buck Vanhuss was coach if I remember correctly.  I've always thought the movie Hoosiers could have been about them.

Yes they did. Hearing Coach White talk about the state championship he was on, one would think Hoosiers  was indeed Hampton. The story he tells about some of them getting stuck in a revolving door in Nashville beacuse that was the first one they'd seen and didn't know how to get out/stop it is a classic!!!

 

Hampton had some of the best teams in the state in the 60's and 70's. But that was back when there was no classification. They lost some real heart breakers to much larger schools. When you played Hampton and Coach Van Huss.... you knew you were in for a real DAWG fight. Had some great teams in the 80's (runner up twice I believe) and a couple in the 90's. Not a lot of championships but without doubt a truly great basketball tradition.