West Tn State Tournament History

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From 1921 thru 1972 TSSAA crowned an overall champion. Few teams from the West were successful. State champs from the West were : 1928 Purdy, 1931 Chester County, 1932 Ramer, 1938 Whitehaven, 1949 Humboldt, and 1952 Selmer. That is six champs in 48 years since no tournament was held for 1933, 34, 35, and 36, during the "Great Depression". Three of those champs were from McNairy County. Two of the champs had undefeated seasons : Purdy at 32 - 0 and Humboldt at 44 - 0. Future Chicago Bear Hall of Fame football player Doug Atkins played on that Humboldt team. There is a great picture of that Humboldt team on the TSSAA site in their basketball tourney archives. 

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State runner-up teams were : 1926 Memphis Central, 1929 Halls, 1930 Memphis Central, 1942 Milan, 1951 Selmer, 1952 Jackson High, 1953 Memphis Central, 1960 Union City, 1966 Memphis Treadwell, 1970, Memphis Melrose, and 1971 Lexington.    Bill McClain from the 1951 Selmer team went on to be a long time coach at Memphis Treadwell. His 1966 Treadwell team was runner-up to the great undefeated Nashville Pearl team featuring Perry Wallace and Ted McClain. Larry Fry starred on the 1971 Lexington team which lost to Nashville Cameron featuring the seven footer David Vaughn.

Edited September 14, 2021 by sportsfan53ray

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1971 Lexington team with 6'5" Larry Fry held 6'11" David Vaughn Jr to 8 points in the championship game but losing 50 to 56 while Fry scored 15 per the TSSAA archives. Vaughn had scored 45 points in the 1st round victory over Melrose. Fry went on to be 3 yr starter at Mississippi State averaging 13.8 pts and 8.1 reb over 78 games. Vaughn had been commited to Memphis State where he would join the duo from the 1969 Melrose team, Larry Finch and Ronnie Robinson. Vaughn did a late switch to sign with the overnight success Oral Roberts University but he did marry Finch's sister. Memphis State then acquired the services of junior college player Larry Kenon.  David Vaughn III did end up playing for his uncle HBC Larry Finch at Memphis. Fry became a high school principal at Grenada, Ms.

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Larry Fry was one of the first two AA players to suit up for the MSU Bulldogs in 1972. Perry Wallace from 1966 champ N Pearl was the first AA player in the SEC at Vanderbilt while his teammate Ted McClain starred at Tenn State and went on to a pro career in the NBA and ABA.

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