There's Only One Thompson
As a new collegiate basketball season unfolds, many
comparisons are being made about the top teams,
players, and coaches in the game. North Carolina has one
of the best freshmen in Michael Jordan, a 6-4 guard from
Wilmington.
Jordan has already been compared to the immortal
David Thompson, a comparison that doesn't seem fair to
either player. While Jordan is talented, he in no way
resembles Thompson - either physically or athletically.
Jordan reminds me more of Walter Davis, a former Tar
Heel great - but again, no David Thompson. Every time
a great player comes into the ACC, he undoubtedly will be
compared to the one and only (Thompson), but that's just
it; there is only one David Thompson.
The other day I was trying to pick the "Best Five"
college basketball players I had ever seen in person. Now
I saw my first college game back in '56, so that takes in
quite a few players. But I was able to narrow it down to a
starting five.
The most valuable player I ever saw in college (either
m person or on the tube,) was Thompson. Not only was
the 6-4 forward fabulous in his skills, but "DT" was a
bonafide "winner," and that lifts him above some other
great players
Of my "Best Five," three others were Phil Ford, the
best point guard in history, a 6-2 version of Thompson;
Jeff Mullins, Duke's 6-4 forward and the best shooter 1
ever saw; and Princeton's Bill Bradley, as smooth on the
court as Heifetz was in Carnegie Hall.
While this foursome was magnificent, and Thompson
wa« the best ' all-around" player, the most talented
collegian I ever saw was "Pistol" Pete Maravich.
Maravich played high school ball at Raleigh Broughton
when his dad. Press, coached State. Most people
considered Pete a hot dog" back then, but Maravich
was a rare talent.
The Pistol went on to Ii>U where he averaged over 40
points a game for his career, breaking all the all-time
NCAA scoring records. 1 saw Pete play three of those
games for LSU and they were all unbelievable
performances.
The first game I witnessed came when Maravich, then
a junior, accompanied I.SU to Athens, Ga. for an SEC
game against Georgia. Pete scored 57 that day, but it was
his final basket that had the crowd standing on their
heads. With time running out, Maravich took a pass
beyond the center court line. Pete dribbled all alone
toward the basket for a gimme layup. But. curiously,
Pete passed up the sure layup and instead, dribbled
toward the corner of the court. And just as the buzzer was
set to go off, the whiz kid turned and fired a HOOK SHOT
toward the goal. The ball stripped the net and the crowd
went bananas.
On the day that LSU was to play at Georgia during
Pete's senior year, this writer got in line for a ticket at
1:30 in the afternoon. The game didn't start until 8:00, but
I was already behind about a hundred other fans that
couldn't wait for the "Pistol Pete Show" to begin.
After six and a half hours of waiting, the "show" finally
started. The crowd was buzzing with anticipation,
especially after watching Pete bounce balls between his
legs through the goal in the warm-up. And the 6-5 guard
was doing that trick with his back toward the basket -
and making every shot-er, bounce.
Well, Maravich disappointed the throng - by not
shooting. Ten minutes had elapsed in the game and Pete
hadn't taken one shot! Averaging 44 a game - and he
refused to shoot.
But finally, with under 10 minutes to play in the first
half - Maravich took a "routine" 30-footer. Swish. And
before the game was over, the great Maravich had scored
41 points.
Georgia had a real good guard, I-anny Taylor. (I once
saw Taylor score 30 against Kentucky.) I-ate in the game,
and with Taylor pressing Maravich in the backcourt - the
LEW
HEGE
great one put a couple of head fakes on Lanny. Taylor fell
flat down on the court, Pete dribbled downcourt and
again, swished another 30-footer.
Taylor was embarrassed and was removed from the
game in favor of Greg Maui, a good defensive player. As
Maravich took the ball in bounds, Main clapped his hands
and said, "Come on Maravich, come on Maravich." Well,
Pete put a couple of terrific head fakes on Main, who was
flat-footed. And quick as a wink, Maravich dribbled the
ball through Main's legs, went around the defender,
picked up the dribble, scooted downcourt and canned a
35-footer!
The crowd instantly responded, "Come on Main, come
on Main."
While these performances were marvelous,
Maravich's bejt college game came one afternoon at
Alabama. The Tigers only suited up nine players for the
contest that day, and two of them were ejected from the
game for fighting near the end of the first half. As the
game wore on, three more LSU players fouled out of the
contest.
But Maravich was smoking, and, with just four players
on the court, LSU sent the game into overtime. LSU was
playing a 2-2 zone with Pete and little Jimmy Hess (5
foot-9 and NO talent,) at the guards. It was an amazing
show by Maravich that day.
LSU finally lost the game, something like 106-104; but
the amazing Maravich kept the Tigers in the game -
scoring 67 points!
Now Pete was a great professional player, first with
Atlanta, then with New Orleans, and finally with the
Celtics for a short while. It was in Atlanta that Maravich
possibly played his best game as a pro. Having been
traded from Atlanta to New Orleans, the "Pistol"
returned with the Jazz to face the Hawks.
A capacity crowd was ready to see what the great
Maravich would do against his former teammates. New
Orleans (now Utah) didn't have much of a team and Pete
was their only real star. And that night in the Omni, he
was truly the best player I ever saw.
Pete scored 51 points, making almost all of his hots
from the 25-30 foot range. And I promise, not one of his
shots ever hit the rim of the goal. Nothing but net. The
Jazz won and the Hawk fans wished Pete had never left
Atlanta.
While Maravich was an amazing shooter, his best skills
were his dribbling and passing abilities. He was easily
the best ball-handler I ever saw (even better than Lou
Pucillo,) and there has never been a better passer than
the Pistol. Maravich's bad rap was that he wasn't much
of a defensive player-and in college he wasn't.
But when Pete played in the NBA, he ALWAYS
guarded the other team's best guard - people like Jerry
West and Walt Frazier. Maravich was a black belt in
karate, was quick as a cat and definitely no slouch on
defense.
Unfortunately, Pete had to play for losing teams
throughout most of his career and those teams relied
heavily on his scoring ability. Maravich always scored in
the 25-32 point range - he had to. But had the Pistol been a
point guard on a team like the Celtics or Lakers, he would
have averaged around 18-22 a game and been known as
the best player of all time. Oscar Robertson and West
were great, but they weren't even in the same league with
Maravich. I doubt there will ever be another "Pistol"
Pete Maravich, the magician of the hardwood!
Eagles Get Act Together For Win
Warren County's Eagles,
lackluster for three quar
ters, outscored Franklin
ton 29-11 in the final period
and went on to record a
78-57 victory last Friday
night at the John Graham
Gym.
Franklinton, not expect
ed to give the Eagles a
close game, led 12-10 after
the first quarter. Warren
County rebounded to take a
29-28 lead over the Red
Warriors Capture
First Boys Win
ui vis ^apps pourea in zs
points and led a fourth
quarter explosion as War
ren Academy's boys took a
55-49 win over visiting
Franklin Christian last
Friday night. The win was
the Warriors' first of the
season.
In the opener, the
unbeaten Warren Aca
demy girls held Franklin
Christian scoreless in the
opening quarter and went
on to trounce the visitors,
47-19.
The Warrior boys, losers
of their first four games
this year, trailed Franklin
Christian 32-24 after three
periods. However the
home team outscored their
opponents by a 31-17
margin in the final eight
minutes of play to take the
victory.
Warren Academy won
the game at the free throw
line, canning 17 of 25 in the
game, with 15 of those
coining in that final stanza.
Supporting the career
high night by Capps were
Keith Carroll and Darin
Smith with 10 points
apiece, Dee Parry with
eight, and Darryl Kilian
got the other two. The
visitors were led by Kenny
Ferguson with 1§ and
Thomas Edwards with 15
points.
in me ursi game, me
Warrior girls outscored
Franklin Christian 11-0 in
the opening quarter and
sailed to an easy victory.
Warren Academy led 21-2
at the half, and 35-7 after
three periods of play.
Pacing the Lady War
riors was Caroline Shearin
with 15 points, while
Wanda Carroll chipped in
with 12 points and a
game-high 13 rebounds.
Other scorers for the
winners were Paula Hayes
with nine, Martha New
man with eight and Joanne
Robertson and LuAnne
Quails with two each.
Shelley Glenn led Frank
lin Christian with eight
Doints
Now 2-0, the Warrior
girls are slated to play St.
Mary's, in Raleigh Wed
nesday (at 6:00.) Warren
Academy will host Halifax
Academy in the first
conference encounter Fri
day night.
Four games are on tap,
with two jayvee and two
varsity games set. The
first game taps off at 5:00.
Score by quarters:
GIRLS GAME
FCA 0 2 512.- 19
WA 11101412 — 47
BOYS GAME
FCA 916717-49
WA 10 8631-55
Rams at half time. The
Eagles increased the lead
to 49-44 as the third quarter
ended.
However, the Eagles
came alive in fhe final
quarter as senior David
Henderson, quiet all night,
hit six straight shots to put
the game on ice. The 6-5
All-State guard had suffer
ed through three quarters
with but six points and was
not an integral part of the
WC offense. It was his
explosiveness in the final
period that rescued War
ren County from a potent
ially embarrassing defeat.
Franklinton finished last in
the Tar River Conference a
year ago, lost their best
player (Maurice Kearney)
and should have been a
patsy for the Eagles.
But the Rams easily
broke the Eagle press and
stayed in the contest for
three quarters.
Joe Greene led Warren
County with 20 points and
kept the Birds ahead in the
third period. Henderson's
18 points equalled his
season's low in 1960-81, but
12 of those came in the
fourth period. Kenneth
Crews, in his first season
on the varsity, had 18
points; while Jerome
Cooper added 11 points,
most coming in the first
half when Cooper kept the
Eagles in the game.
Leading the Red Rams'
attack were Crudup and
Allen with 18 points apiece.
This was Warren County's
second triumph over
Franklinton in 10 days.
"We played pretty good
in the second half," noted
head coach James Howell,
adding, "We had real good
consistency and that can
be attributed to our hustle.
Our defense was very ex
cellent also."
Topping the Eagles in
the rebounding depart
ment were Henderson and
Cooper with 11 each.
Two starters on the 20-7
Norlina team a year ago.
point guard Mark Elling
ton and power forward
John Falcon, were used
very little in the game.
Falcon, an all-tournament
selection last year, saw
only spot duty; while
Ellington, all-conference
last year, played just over
two minutes in the game.
Both players, expected by
many to be starters, have
been used minimally in the
two games they have
suited up for so far. A third
letterman, 6-1 senior guard
Randy Garrett, was not
used in either the Blue
stone or Franklinton
games, and has quit the
team. Garrett had been
expected to see consider
able action at both guard
spots, but was not inserted
in either game and left the
Eagle bench while the
game with Franklinton
was still in progress.
The Eagles, now 3-0,
with a win at Bluestone,
Va. last Wednesday night
were slated to hot the
Barons Tuesday night.
Howell's team will face its
toughest challenge Friday
night when they travel to
Henderson Vance for a
non-conference tilt.
Husband: You ought to run
for Congress, dear. Wife: Why?
Husband: Because you're so
great at introducing bills into
the house.
c
Tommy Callahan of Fairlane Drive, Warrenton displays a six-point buck which he
bagged near Areola on Saturday. Callahan, 13, is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas
Callahan. He killed the 170-pound buck with a shotgun during his first year of deer
hunting. (Staff Photo)
Joe Greene Is Selected On
r
Class AAA All-East Team
RALEIGH - Warren
County's superb tailback,
Joe Greene, was selected
to the Class AAA All-East
football team, announced
Sunday. The squad is
annually chosen by The
News and Observer.
Greene, a 6-1, 194-pound
senior, rushed for 1,708
yards and scored 20
touchdowns in leading
Warren County to the
Roanoke River 3-A Confer
ence championship this
season. Greene averaged
8.1 yards per carry and
totaled more than 2,200
yards in total offense for
the season.
The Norlina native scor
ed 120 points, . averaged
more than 50 yards booting
kickoffs for the Eagles,
and was the safety on the
Eagles' heralded "Brick
Wall" defense, which al
lowed just 71 points in 12
games.
For his two-year career,
the speedster rushed for
more than 2,500 yards and
had over 3,400 yards in
total offense. Greene has
4.5 speed in the 40 and is
being recruited by North
Carolina. His best game of
the season was a 285-yard
performance against
Gates County, (on just 12
carries.) Greene also ran
for 221 yards in the
conference title game, a
36-0 shellacking of North
west Halifax.
Henderson Vance coach
Tony Oakes called the star
back, "a big leaguer, a
major college back."
Eagles' coach Billy Fraz
ier called Greene, "one of
the best backs I've seen in
my 19 years of coaching."
A second Eagle, quarter
back-linebacker Mark El
lington, received honor
able mention status. The
6-0, 193 pounder, ran for
over 400 yards this season,
passed for 400 more, and
scored 84 pounts, second in
the conference to Greene.
Ellington, making the
all-conference team for the
third straight season,
guided Warren County to a
7-1 record as a starter this
season. Ellington also
caught seven passes and
was a part-time punter for
the Eagles.
Ellington was also a
mainstay of the Brick Wall
defense from his lineback
er spot, blocking two punts
for touchdowns. A native of
Norlina, the senior quar
terback may attend North
Carolina, possibly on a
Morehead Scholarship.
Four other members of
the team were named to
the all-conference team
last week. They are John
Falcon, a 6-1, 199-pound
tackle; Eric Twitty, a 5-10,
160-pound wide receiver;
Alvin Crossin, a 5-9,
180-pound tackle-kicker;
and James Fitts, a 6-0,
175-pound guard. All were
seniors (athletically,) ex
cept Fitts, who is a
sophomore. Warren Coun
ty finished 7-0 in league
play, 9-3 overall, and was
ranked seventh in the state
this year.
Henderson's 25
Lead Eagle Win
SKIP WITH, VA. -
David Henderson poured
in 25 points and grabbed 12
rebounds to lead Warren
County to a 64-55 victory
over Bluestone last Wed
nesday night in a non-con
ference clash.
Henderson, averaging 21
points per game after
three games, ignited an
Eagle rally in the third
quarter that salted the
game for the visitors."1—
Warren County managed
a one-point lead after the
first quarter, but the
Barons came back to knot
the score at 29 at
intermission. But the
Eagles outscored Blue
stone 17-7 in the critical
third period and held on in
the final stanza for the win.
Backing up Henderson's
effort were 6-7 center
Jerome Cooper with 12
points and 11 rebounds, 6-1
senior Joe Greene with 10
points, Kenneth Crews
with nine, John Falcon
with four, and Mark
Ellington and Robert Bur
chette with two each. The
game was the first for
Greene and Ellington, both
all-conference performers
last season. Both players
had been involved in the
Eagles' state football play
off games and joined the
team late.
Burchette, a 6-3 senior
who is finally getting some
playing time, hauled in
nine rebounds for the
Eagles, while Crews had
six assists. Henderson
added four assists.
Topping the Barons'
scoring were Jordan with
15, Evans with 13, and
Jones with a dozen points.
In the jayvee prelimin
ary game, the Baby Eagles
saw a two-point lead van
ish in the fourth quarter as
the Barons took a 52-40
win. The Eagle jayvees are
now 0-3.
The game was dead even
as both squads scored 10
points in the opening
period and nine in the
second stanza. Warren
County forged ahead 33-31
after three quarters, but
fell apart in the final
quarter as the Barons
outscored the visitors by a
whipping 21-7 margin.
Monte Stevenson topped
the Baby Eagles with 11
points and 10 rebounds,
while Joe Gibbs added 10
points.Hueben Clayton and
Melvin Palmer helped out
on the boards with six
rebounds apiece.
Scoring by quarters:
Varsity Game
Warren Co. 121717 IS -64
PlBMtOW 11 IS 719 — 56
John Graham,
Norlina Split
John Graham and Nor
lina split games in the
season opener for both
middle schools Monday
afternoon.
The John Graham boys
slipped by Norlina 21-17,
while the Norlina girls took
the opener with a 21-15 win.
In the first game, Shelia
Justice and Lola Rowlett
teamed for 15 points to lead
Coach Bill Sbulenberger's
Blue Waves. Norlina jump
ed to an 11-2 halftime lead,
then withstood a fourth
Eagles Club
Votes To
Give Funds
f
The Eagles Club, Wu
ren County High's booste
club, voted to donate $2,00
toward the purchase prie
of school's nev
basketball uniforms ii
action taken at the club'i
regular monthly meetinj
Monday night at th
school.
The club also voted t
donate $275 toward th.
purchase of letter jacket)
for members of the Kngio,
championship footbal
team, with the other $60i
being raised from outsid<
sources.
President Donald Wim
brow called the meeting t»
order and treasurer Her
bert Moeeley reportet
$2,787.89 in the club'i
account. Wimbrow thanfc
ed the Norlina Ruritai
Club for a donation of $»
made by the Ruritans t<
the athletic fund.
Principal Ben Terrel
reported that Supt. Mik<
a Williams had received bidi
on the new bleachers foi
the school's gymnasiuir
and that school official;
were only awaiting wore
from the county commis
sioners before talring ac.
tion toward the purchase oI
the bleachers.
The club discussed the
purchase of basketballs for
the varsity teams, and
following the action on the
uniforms, Terrell said the
school could go ahead and
obtain some new balls
right away. The teams had
been borrowing the middle
school's basketballs.
u Secretary Lew Hege said
the school should proceed
with receiving bids and
information on baseball
uniforms. It was decided to
have athletic director
Monte Allen gather the
information and bids and
Present that information to
the club at the Jan. 4
meeting.
The club decided to have
a letter of recognition
drawn up and sent to the
football team, commend
ing them on their outstand
ing season.
kJJ'lrnexI meeting will be
neld Monday night, Jan. 4
1982, at 7:30 p. m.
quarter rally by the Yellow
Jackets to cop the victory.
Justice finished with
nine points, while Rowlett
had six points and eight
rebounds. Mayfield, Bul
lock and Gill added to each
for the Waves.
In the second game, the
JG boys held off the Blue
Waves in a game that was
nip and tuck all the way.
The Jackets outscored
Norlina 5-2 in the final
quarter to preserve the
triumph.
Stanley Jefferson topped
the Waves with six points,
Kim Ward had five, Mark
Taylor four, and Alan
Ellington chipped in two
points. Ward was the top
re bounder with eight.
Individual scorers for JG
were not available at press
time.
Norlina next games are
set for Thursday against
Franklinton at Norlina.
Score by quarters:
Girls Game
J.Graham 02310- 15
Norlina 654 6-21
Boys Game
J.Graham 53 85-21
Norlina 50102- 17
Officials: A Hundley, R.
Shearin.