Lee Humphrey and Arby's Classic

[REBELRON]

Me and other Maryville fans have been saying this for 3 years. I am a big fan of Lee Humphrey. I am very mad that Lee didn't get looked at by UT.Instead they have kids with bad attitudes like John Winchester. Lee would have had the whole city of Maryville at Thompson Boling Arena. Lee is the all american boy. Lee is someone you want your son to be like. I guarantee you Lee would never tell Buzz Peterson that he didn't want in the game! What really makes me mad is when these fans on Volquest and other UT boards say Lee is not that good. Lee is a lot better than Dane Bradshaw ever thought about being.

 

I appreciate your fine comments on Lee! I read your article the other day. Here is a great article on Lee Humphrey in the Bristol paper.

 

 

 

Cut n Paste

 

Lee Humphrey plays basketball for the love of the game

by BUCKY DENT

Bristol Herald Courier

 

Kevin Costner once starred in a schmaltzy baseball movie called "For Love of the Game."

It's why Maryville's Lee Humphrey plays basketball.

 

"If he has a bad shooting game," said coach Rodney Nelson, "he's likely to be in the gym that night at 11."

 

"Late Night with Lee" doesn't happen that often, though. Barring injury, Humphrey will become the school's all-time leading scorer by February and needs fewer than 200 points to reach 2,000 for his career.

 

In Thursday's 65-61 victory over Dobyns-Bennett in the first round of the Arby's Classic, Humphrey pumped in 28 -- hitting six of seven from 3-point land -- and added four assists.

 

The 6-foot-2 senior would rather not talk about his game, but it speaks for itself. After averaging 22.2 points per game last year, Humphrey has willingly accepted fewer shots in order to fill a more difficult role at point guard.

 

Through 11 games, Humphrey's scoring average was down three points a night. But his ability to find shots for others has resulted in three other teammates reaching double figures, helping the Rebels get off to an 10-1 start.

 

Adjusting to being the initiator and not the man who shots are created for hasn't been a big deal for Humphrey.

 

"I've played point guard in AAU before," he said, referring to the last couple of summers he spent with the highly-successful Tennessee Travelers. "I've not done it in high school before, but it's no big deal.

 

"Sometimes, it's tougher to get looks, but this will help me at the next level because I'll have to play both (guard spots) there."

 

In Humphrey's case, "there" is Florida. Gators coach Billy Donovan, who had some of Humphrey's characteristics as a player at Providence, snapped him up during the early signing period last month.

 

"The big thing was the coach and the staff," Humphrey said. "They like to play a fast pace and shoot the 3. I liked their style of play and I liked the guys there."

 

That Florida came into the backyard of a Southeastern Conference rival -- Tennessee -- and took Humphrey without much of a battle raised eyebrows from many Volunteer supporters.

 

Second-year UT coach Buzz Peterson had one scholarship available for a guard in the 2003-04 recruiting class and used it on 6-foot-3 Dane Bradshaw, a versatile performer who's helped Memphis White Station win a pair of Class AAA titles.

 

Peterson's previous recruiting haul was guard-heavy -- C.J. Watson, Stanley Asumnu, John Winchester -- by necessity. Forced to dismiss a pair of leftovers from the Jerry Green regime (Harris Walker, Terrence Woods), Peterson had to find guards that could contribute immediately.

 

"That changed the recruiting picture," Nelson said. "Buzz and his staff came and watched Lee play, but they never said why they made their decision one way or the other.

 

"You look at (Bradshaw) and he plays at a high level of competition and you look at a kid who plays in Blount County. But Lee's proven he can play at that high level in the summer."

 

Even without the Vols' participation, Humphrey didn't exactly lack for suitors. Marquette, N.C. State, Stanford, West Virginia and Georgia Tech were all eager to add him to their rosters.

 

"Our family has always been UT fans since I was a kid," Humphrey said. "I would have loved to play there, but they had filled their roster. But I had a chance to play somewhere else."

 

Before he plays in Gainesville, though, Humphrey will try to lead Maryville to a better finish than it had last season. The Rebels went 28-3, but the third loss occurred in the Region 2 semifinals on William Blount's home floor, ending Maryville's year prematurely.

 

The motto used by Tennessee's football team -- "Unfinished Business" -- would seem appropriate for the Rebels this year. Then again ...

 

"That's not turned out that well for Tennessee's football team," Humphrey said with a trace of a laugh. "But it sort of feels like it for us. To end like it did was disappointing for us."

 

Which is why Humphrey and Maryville are spending the week in Bristol. The hope is that this tournament -- and the competition the Rebels will see -- will toughen them for a successful March.

 

"It's an honor to play in this tournament," he said. "We don't get to see great competition like this all the time and we hope it can help us get where we want to go."

 

The competitor in Humphrey craves the competition. The fan in him craves another Arby's opportunity.

 

"I'll have to talk to coach about staying up there as long as we can and watching some of these other good players," he said.

 

Call it love of the game -- without the schmaltz.

[Edited by REBELRON on 12-28-02 11:45P]

 

[LordInfamous]

I like that post good one. Lee is outstanding, of course I wanted to see him at Stanford...but I am just a Cardinal fan. I am glad he isn't going to UT I mean being a vol fan is great but they are not all the good and they need to put some lights in that arena it looks like they are trying to conserve energy. Bradshaw must be really good...anyway I think the fact that Lee is going to FL instead of UT is makes him a better player cause FL is on a whole nother level that UT will not be on any time soon.

[OSHSman]

Is that the same Bucky Dent that screwed the Red Sox out of a AL East divison crown back in the 70's?

[RAaron]

I'm just the mom of a son who has played ball with Lee for the last 6-7 years and also work at Maryville High where he's a student. I can't say enough about Lee. He works hard, has a wonderful attitude, doesn't brag or boast, and simply has class. We're all very happy to have had our boys grow up with Lee and experience the game of basketball as he enjoys it, simply the love of the game. Sometimes, and this is nothing against coaches but it's also their jobs, they get so intent and focused on mechanics and how to do whatever, they forget who they're trying to instruct, these are 17-18 years old young men and are still trying to learn about life. Lee has a great family and they've supported him all the way. We all wish him much greatness and probably will someday be able to say, we knew him when....BEST OF LUCK TO YOU LEE

[MaryvilleRebels]

Lee reminds me of a small town Indiana boy. Intelligent, quiet, humble, and loves basketball. At least thats the stereotype. I agree that Maryville would only be a good basketball team without Lee Humphrey. However, I do think that collectively throughout the years the players would be maybe better without him. I know Lee does make them better on the court, but throughout middle school and their early careers they never played on teams without him. He was the only one they needed, so they never had to really score themselves. Without Lee they would all be forced to work that much harder and maybe be better as a team. I am not attempting to say that Lee Humphrey should leave us alone, because he does take out team to that next level. I am saying that the middle school coaches should have attempted to train their team without the help of Lee. Just like the class of 2003 did their freshman year when they had to win their freshman games without him. That team lost 4 games, to two teams. They're good enough to win games by themselves, but they haven't done it in such a long time I'm afraid they've forgotten how. I guess its on to Wheeler, hopefully we will be all on our game. Oh and I want to give special props to our posts this game, who are fighting off some kids that are 6'9"+ and only being 6'4" themselves is quite a task. Also a big hand to Rodney Nelson who is taking this underdog team further than anyone expected. Great job Maryville basketball!

[sballer101]

I had the pleasure of watching Lee Humphrey against DB in the first round of the Arby's Classic. The kid can flat out play! The one thing that stood out is how he makes everyone around him better. Not only can he shoot the eyes out, he is a terrific passer as well. Tennessee really missed the boat on him. I saw Bradshaw this summer and I would take Humphrey over him any day.

[OSHSman]

REBELRON,

 

The author of the article you cut and pasted, is that the same Bucky Dent that hit a game winning home run for the Yankees that beat the Red Sox in the AL East playoff game back in the 70s?

[REBELRON]

I don't know! Maybe someone from Bristol could tell us?

[REBELRON]

Put that post on Volquest! Those guys will tell you that you don't know what you are talking about.

[LordInfamous]

Volquest is a bunch of morons who think UT is KnoxTech and try to act like recruiting and statistical guru's.

[mofototo50]

i live in mephis, and dont know(or havent seen Humphrey play) but Bradshaw is a complete player, he avg. maybe 7 ppg, but take his 8 rpg, 7 apg, 7 stpg, and his hustle and intelligence and youve got a really good player, he might not be the scorer but he can play basketball and he got a scholarship he deserved, though, being a Vol fan having Humphrey would have been awesome since we dont have anyone who can score other than higgins and Slay!

[MaryvilleRebels]

Hey everyone e-mail the daily times about the write who wrote today's article about Maryville and complain to them. It was a terrible article that didn't express the teams play at all. Maryville outscored a top 25 team in the second half and probably had first half jitters, so it may have been close if they would have played two halfs of basketball. The guy says that Maryville will sink or swim with Lee Humphrey, which is obviously bull. Give the other boys some credit. 3 of them are probably going to go on to play D1 basketball: Houser, Gaskin, and Tipton all will. So they aren't exactly lacking in talent. Lee Humphrey is just a man among young adults. Terrible article and that man needs to know it!