Winston-Salem State
Thinks It's Got the Man
By LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
Winston-Salem State thinks it's got
the man to replace the legend.
On April 30, the school named Ron
Spry to replace Clarence "Bighouse" .
Gaines, the winningest active coach in col
lege basketball^igj the second winningest
coach of all time. un1y~ Kentucky's
Aldolph Rupp (875 wins) has more victo
ries than does Gaines.
"You don't replace coach Gaines,"
Spry said. "What I have to do is tress my
own individuality. Coach Gaines what
, coaches strive to become." ^
Gaines turned 70 on May 21 and
North Carolina law requires that profes
sors stand down at that age. Gaines had
requested an exemption, but had met stern
opposition from members of Winston
Salem State's faculty. But Gaines has
repeatedly said that while he was angered
bjrthe response to his request, that people
shouldn't feel sorry for trim:
"Bighouse will be fine," he has said.
"Don't cry for Bighouse."
So now. Spry must take over in his
place. He Comes with a fairly Strong
resume and a glowing recommendation
from Dr. Arnold Lockett, Winston's facul
ty athletic representative, who, along with
a five-member selection committee, con
ducted a very secretive search for Gaine s
replacement.
Lockett said when he announced Spry
as the new coach that the school has
received more than 30 applicants for the
job. r 9
During the search, some word leaked
out that the school had narrowed' its list to^
five candidates.
When asked at the time to name them,
Lockett responded, "I won't do that. I don't,
do that."
Sources told BCSR that four of the
five were Spry, Steve Joyner, head men's
coach at Johnson C. Smith; Bobby Dan
dridge, an assistant at Winston-Salem
State.
The, fifth candidate tfas se\t_
eral sources, to be Earl Monore, a NBA
Hatl of Fame player who led Winston
Salem to the NCAA Division II champi
onship 1967. But of course, Lockett would
neither confirm or deny any of these
rumors.
What Lockett did do, though, was
bring Winston-Salem a coach capable of
leading the program into a brighter future.
Still, Spry must get the program from
the here and now to that future.
It's not an easy task.
In the past three years, in reverse
order, the Rams have gone JO-14, 6-21
and 6-17. '
"The key to my success," Spry said,
"is to evaluate the personnel on campus
now." Maybe. He'll also have to hit the
road and bring some talent into Winston
Salem quickly. Gaines has complained
feverently that with just over $2,000 to
recruit with, he could do little. "You could
spend the whole budget going to look at
one kid out of town," he has said repeated
>y
The thinking here is that Winston
Salem is tired of losing so much and so
often. A once proud program boasting of
the CIAA's best player year-in, year-out,
Winston-Salem State has fallen to the
CIAA's cellar. J .. - ? ?
Ifs now up to Spry to dig the Rams
out. One thing that seems to be in his favor
? and Lockett, surprise, would not con
Ron Spry
firm or deny this ? is that many CIAA
coaches feel that Winston-Salem is ready
to open its pocketbook. "We are elated to
bring in a person of such impressive cre
dentials," Lockett said, serving notice that
he was quite pleased the "The* Man Who
Replaced Gaines."
Spry is currently pursuing a doctorate
in higher education administration at
South Carolina an holds a master's degree
in college teaching from Murray State.
In 13 years as head coach and athletic
director at Paine, in Augusta, Ga., Spry led
the team to a 285-146. He was the South
ern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
(SIAC) Coach of the Year last season,
after his team finished 16-10. He was also
named the league's coach of the year in
1987.
Clarence "Bighouse" Gaines
? But he comes to Winston with a repii
tation as somewhat of a emotional guy,
somewhat completely unlike the stoic
Gaines. "He is a hothead. He's arrogant,"
said oiie C1AA insider. "He's a renegade
who will do whatever it takes for his pro
gram to win."
But that may not be as bad, as long as
Spry stays within the rules. Whatever it
takes.
Sounds like a good motto to us:
Whatever it takes. Spry has never been to
the NCAA post season tournament, and
with Winston-Salem's struggling fortunes,
it's going to take a while to rebuild the
program. ?
But Lockett feels he's got his guy.
And it appears that guy is ready to do
? whatever it takes.
FSU's Capel Gets Hoops Job at N.C. A&T
By LANGSTON WERTZ JR.
When Bighouse Gaines left Winston
Salem State, the CIAA lost one good
coach, a legend, a man who is truly irre
placeable.
When Jeff Capel left Fayetteville
State, the CIAA lost a coach who could
become unc.
Capel was appointed head basketball
coach of North Carolina A&T State Uni
versity May 6.
Capel succeeds Don Corbett, who
resigned as head coach last month. Earlier
this year, Capel led Fayetteville State to an
NCAA Division II Tournament bid.
"This program is going to be commit
ted to winning at the Division I level and
developing, as soon as feasible, a compre
hensive regional schedule in the East,
Northeast and So Jtheast, including natural
state rivals," Cap j1 said.
Capel said he will also stress gradua
tion as a primary goal for his players.
He has 15 players of experience in
high school and college coaching.
Capel was a Wake Forest University
assistant for Hhree. years before becoming
the Broncos' head coach. At Fayetteville,
Capel's team in 1991-92 compiled a 22-8
record, the best in that college's history.
Now, continuing that program's success
win fall to someone else7~
Capel's record at Fayetteville was 64
51.
He began his coaching career at
Pinecrest Senior School in Southern Pines,
where his teams compiled a 111-61
record.
His son, Jeff III, was named Mr. Bas
ketball in North Carolina by the Charlotte
Observer and was also named the Associ
ated Press N.C. player of the year.
Coach Capcl is a 1977 graduate of
Fayetteville State and has studied towards
his master's degree at Gardner Webb Col
lege.
Jeff Cape I should keep A AT competitive.