Best high school hoops team ever in your state

[iSASO]

Any nominations?

I'll start off with the '77-'78 Wichita Heights team. They won the Kansas Class 6A(biggest) state title game by 40 points over the defending champion KC-Wyandotte. They averaged 90+ ppg with all 5 starters averaging double figures in scoring. Ranked #2 in the nation, #1 by Eddie Fogler who was at UNC at the time. The roster featured two elite HS All-Americans, who were also D1 1st Team All-Americans and went on to pretty successfull NBA careers.

[DUBulldog]

My current state of residence (Iowa)....no clue

The state where I grew up (Illinois), I'd have to go with the 1972 Thornridge team with Quinn Buckner. They went undefeated, and were never tested in the state tournament. They were up by 31 at halftime of the state championship game (large schools) and coasted to a 35 point victory.

link (http://www.marchmadness.org/records/yearly/1972baa.htm)

another link (http://blogs.suntimes.com/lockerroom/2007/11/the_best_basketball_teams_ive_1.html)

[MoValley John]

I grew up in Harlem, we had this team that was pretty good. You may have heard of them.

http://english.people.com.cn/200411/07/images/1106_E26.jpg

[JJClamdip]

Harlem?

Is that in Chicago?

:clap:

[MoValley John]

Harlem?

Is that in Chicago?

:clap:

You can't make the reference if you don't stretch the truth a bit. :innocent:

[Clawinball]

Scott County Central in the boot hill of Missouri is always very good...

[BearsCountry]

In Missouri thats a tough one, I'll use this decade for right now since each one had the really special teams - I'll go with Kickapoo in 2002-03. Amazing team to watch and had lots of talent on it. Like I said there is lots of good teams just going for this decade.

[scrove]

Sorry DU, I'd have to disagree.
1981 Quincy Blue Devil Basketball (http://www.quincybluedevilsportshalloffame.com/year/81bb.php)

The Devils compiled an astounding 33-0 record, winning their final four state tournament games by a staggering average of 28.25 points. The Blue Devils also were named the National Champions of high school basketball by USA Today that year. The Blue Devils didn't lose again until the state semifinal game in 1982, compiling a 64-game winning streak, which was a record at the time. Quincy is also the fourth-winningest high school basketball program in the country, with 1809 wins since its first game on December 23, 1907

[DUBulldog]

Sorry DU, I'd have to disagree.
1981 Quincy Blue Devil Basketball (http://www.quincybluedevilsportshalloffame.com/year/81bb.php)

The Devils compiled an astounding 33-0 record, winning their final four state tournament games by a staggering average of 28.25 points. The Blue Devils also were named the National Champions of high school basketball by USA Today that year. The Blue Devils didn't lose again until the state semifinal game in 1982, compiling a 64-game winning streak, which was a record at the time. Quincy is also the fourth-winningest high school basketball program in the country, with 1809 wins since its first game on December 23, 1907

From Taylor Bell (long, long-time high school writer for the Sun-Times.)

In fact, I've never met anyone who saw Ron Ferguson's Thornridge team who ever mentioned another team in the same sentence...not Quincy 1981 or Marshall 1958 or Lyons 1953 or Collinsville 1961 or Evanston 1968 or Peoria Manual 1997 or Thornton 1966 or King 1986 or Proviso East 1991 or Simeon 2007.

Why Thornridge? One statistic is all you need to know. In the course of winning 33 games in a row, the Falcons never allowed an opponent to come within 13 points.

Even the late Jerry Leggett, who coached Quincy's great 1981 squad led by Bruce Douglas and Michael Payne, never questioned Thornridge's brilliance. He saw up them up-close-and-personal while coaching at Rich Central.

[scrove]

You win. You know what's worse, they beat Quincy in the Finals according to the IHSA site.

I'd still have to give it to Quincy if we're going historically. You can't argue with 1809 wins.

[shockball]

More on that Wichita Heights team.

1976-77 Heights basketball team _ Possibly the greatest boys basketball team in Kansas, it completed a 23-0 season by scoring the first 25 points of the Class 5A championship game against Kansas City Wyandotte. The team, which won the game 92-52, included four future Division I players _ Darnell Valentine (Kansas), James Carr (WSU), Antoine Carr (WSU) and Adolphus Holden (Cincinnati) _ and fifth starter Calvin Alexander became a pro boxer.

[iSASO]

From what I heard, the first 5 minutes of play was a dunk-fest for James Carr as Heights broke out to a 25-0 lead. Needless to say, this was a team on a mission after losing to KC Wyandotte in the '75-'76 state championship game.

[DUBulldog]

You win. You know what's worse, they beat Quincy in the Finals according to the IHSA site.

Oh c'mon, don't give up that easily. :original: I agree with you that Quincy 81 was a helluva team, definitely one of the best I ever saw.

[tw805]

I am not old enough to have memories of the Heights teams from the 70s, but I would think for Kansas you at least have to throw the early '80s KC Wyandotte teams and the 1993 Wichita South team. I think that South team had four D-1 starters on it.

[Carrcar]

In Missouri thats a tough one, I'll use this decade for right now since each one had the really special teams - I'll go with Kickapoo in 2002-03. Amazing team to watch and had lots of talent on it. Like I said there is lots of good teams just going for this decade.
Which team had Bill Bradley?

[HawkFan]

I personally saw the 81 Quincy team and the Proviso East teams play.

Definitely give the edge to PE. A team that had three future NBA draft picks in Michael Finley (played at Wisconsin and had a solid NBA career), Donnie Boyce (played at Colorado and was draft pick of the Atlanta Hawks), and Sherrell Ford (played at UIC and drafted by the Sonice - was also Mr Basketball in Illinois that year and thought to be the best of the PE bunch). These guys dominated some very good teams. The athleticism they had was pretty amazing.

I also saw the King team play that had Marcus Liberty on it along with a freshman who stole the show who I believe went to LSU named Jamie Brandon. While that was a pretty good team and Liberty was one of the smoothest HS hoops players I have ever seen. The PE team would have destroyed them (although that might have as much to do with Sonny Cox's lack of coaching ability as anything else).

DU, one of the Iowa teams that's always mentioned as being the greatest would have been the Troy Skinner/Brian Pearson team from Palmer. I think both of those guys averaged over 40+ points per game.

[goaces]

In Indiana the best high school team ever may have been Washington High School in Indianapolis. In 1969 they went undefeated and were led by George McGinnis. He scored a record 148 points in 4 games which still stands today.

[MSNSaluki]

In Indiana the best high school team ever may have been Washington High School in Indianapolis. In 1969 they went undefeated and were led by George McGinnis. He scored a record 148 points in 4 games which still stands today.

No way.

http://www.mopsquad.com/movies/images/hoosiers.jpg

[Sir_ShoxAlot]

I know this doesn't even come close, or anywhere near close but I just thought I'd like to say that I just finished up my freshman year at Wichita Southeast High, who won the class 6A (largest) state title this year. Our star player, Jordan Cyphers, was recruited pretty hard by WSU. He decided on Utah.

I'm glad we didn't get him. He had nice range and was athletic, but would be a bench warmer for the Shox. He would never make it in the Valley.

Just a note.

[Pocket Aces]

In Indiana, my vote would go to the Marion High School team of 1985, 86, and 87. They won three straight championships and had the same team for all three. I think they started the same five all three years, winning it as Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors. They had Jay Edwards and Lyndon Jones, both shared Mr. Basketball in '87, and both went to IU, another who went to Purdue (name escapes me), a guy who went to the ACC (Wake I think), and a fifth who also played D1 ball. They were absolutely loaded as far as high school teams go.

[E-Ville]

Not a high school hoops expert, but I would think the Oden and Conley team would be up there.

[CaliRdBrd]

Proviso East 1991.

[TNMSUFAN]

In Missouri thats a tough one, I'll use this decade for right now since each one had the really special teams - I'll go with Kickapoo in 2002-03. Amazing team to watch and had lots of talent on it. Like I said there is lots of good teams just going for this decade.

The Kickapoo is the easy choice but I am sure there were some great teams from either KC or St. Louis back in the 60's or 70's that I just don't know about

That Kickapoo team had...

Spencer Laurie - MO State
Deven Mitchell - MO State
Shane Laurie - MO State
Anthony Tolliver - Creighton
Dre Dokes - UNI Football
Brandon Argo - C of O/William Jewel
Kelly Byrne - SW IL CC then some DII school

30-1 ranked 6th in the nation

[WSUbballer]

The Kickapoo is the easy choice but I am sure there were some great teams from either KC or St. Louis back in the 60's or 70's that I just don't know about

That Kickapoo team had...

Spencer Laurie - MO State
Deven Mitchell - MO State
Shane Laurie - MO State
Anthony Tolliver - Creighton
Dre Dokes - UNI Football
Brandon Argo - C of O/William Jewel
Kelly Byrne - SW IL CC then some DII school

30-1 ranked 6th in the nation

A good team.. Too bad they didn't translate that well into the D1 level..

[REALBird]

DU,

Had the distinction of attending Thornridge High School back in the 80's and aside from the back to back State Championships I remember a sign that listed the 58 consecutive wins in a row in our gymnasium.

That's right...prior to the 1971-72 team that went 33-0, the 1970-71 team went 31-1 and won the State Championship.

Led by Quinn Buckner, who I'm sure made a pact with the Devil (LOL). This guy won a State Championship with his 8th grade team, back to back State Championships in HS at Thornridge 1972-73. An NCAA championship with Indiana (32-0), Olympic Gold Medal 1976, and NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics.

How good was Buckner? He was a two sport athlete and his 1970 football squad at Thornridge won the "mythical" state championship by going 9-0. This back before the IHSA state playoffs were implemented.

Vergil Fletcher coached Collinsville to a 32-0 record and a state championship in 1961. Led by all-American Bogie Redmon and all-stater Fred Riddle, the Kahoks crushed three ranked opponents at Champaign, winning by 23, 37 and 34 points. At the time, Collinsville was considered the greatest team to ever play high school ball in Illinois.

That well-deserved title stood intact until 1972 when Dolton (Thornridge) wowed the state and the nation, sweeping to a record 58 straight wins over a two-year period against the toughest competition in the land and winning a state and mythical national title along the way. Sparked by first team all-American Quinn Buckner (6-3), the Dolton Gang also featured a pair of all-staters in 6-7 Boyd Batts and 5-11 Mike Bonczyk. Ernie Dunn (6-1) and Greg Rose (6-3) gave the team exceptional talent and depth.

The Falcons allowed only three teams closer than 20 points all season, winning their closest game by 14. In all, 33 opponents fell by an average margin of 32 points. In the championship game against Quincy, Thornridge took a 57-26 lead at the half, stoked by 25 points from Batts, and rolled to a 104-69 rout of the Blue Devils. Batts, who was 14 of 18 from the field in the finale, finished with 37 points. Buckner added 28 and Rose 26 in one of the most awesome title game performances ever.

To this day, Dolton (Thornridge) is considered the most amazing team in state history. Other squads since have taken their shot at the Falcons—including such powerhouse teams as 1990 and 1993 Chicago (King), 1991 and 1992 Maywood (Proviso East), and 1997 Peoria (Manual)—but none of them measure up.

The one team that came closest to measuring up was 1981 Quincy, generally regarded as one of the top two or three teams of all time. Energized by 6-10 all-stater Michael Payne and 6-3 all-American Bruce Douglas, the Blue Devils of coach Jerry Leggett powered their way to a 33-point super-sectional win, and then pummeled the field at Champaign's Assembly Hall. In the title tilt, Quincy mauled Maywood (Proviso East) 68-39 as Bruce and Dennis Douglas combined for 40 points and 20 rebounds, while Payne picked up 16 boards.


The sad part is that Buckner is quoted as saying he thought the 1970-71 team was BETTER because it had more depth. Go figure, they only won the State Championship by 2 pts.
If you talk to most people from that era, many have suggested that they could have beat some college teams. Take that for what it's worth. I had a chance to watch the championship game from 1972 as part of
my Radio/TV Production class back in the day and it was such a blowout that I couldn't watch past halftime before I just got bored!!!!!!

I know I'm biased and all....but in my book it's TRHS.

My frosh year I had the unfortunate honor of donning Quinn Buckners #25. Not realizing how great a player he was, it didn't dawn on me until halfway through the season that I had NO REASON wearing #25 and changed to a less imposing #10. LOL. It was only then that I felt comfortable enough to enjoy the game again. The funny thing is....those uniforms were pre-Jordan era (short-shorts) and I'm thoroughly convinved Quinn himself may have worn them judging by the age and wear and tear.

[TNMSUFAN]

A good team.. Too bad they didn't translate that well into the D1 level..

Not enough lakes in the Wichita area so you need to make some casts on here :original:

[WSUbballer]

Not enough lakes in the Wichita area so you need to make some casts on here :original:

Actually we have Cheney Lake, Lake Afton, Augusta Lake, and El Dorado Lake all within a 30 mile radius of the city.

Facts are just facts. I can't help with those.. :no:

[TNMSUFAN]

Actually we have Cheney Lake, Lake Afton, Augusta Lake, and El Dorado Lake all within a 30 mile radius of the city.

Facts are just facts. I can't help with those.. :no:

Just because there is water doesn't mean it is a good place to cast. I prefer Big Hill, La Cygne (the best), Melvern, Bone Creek and the Mined Land Area.

I was told a few of those lake around Wichita were good for White Bass and Hybrids but I haven't made it over that way yet.

[LA_Jay]

Wahoo Public in Nebraska did win 114 straight games and four consecutive state titles from the 1987-88 season until the 1991-92. That is the third longest winning streak by any high school in the entire country.

[NoPlaceLikeDome]

In Iowa, Linn-Mar in Marion (a suburb of Cedar Rapids) has been the best team consistently, but Iowa City High and Iowa City West have both had some amazing teams in the past. Waterloo East also had great teams in the early 2000's.

[Scott Pierce]

[QUOTE=REALBird;144472]DU,How good was Buckner? He was a two sport athlete and his 1970 football squad at Thornridge won the "mythical" state championship by going 9-0. This back before the IHSA state playoffs were implemented.[QUOTE]

He also played football at Indiana University for one year. Bobby Knight put a quick stop to that.


[QUOTE]The sad part is that Buckner is quoted as saying he thought the 1970-71 team was BETTER because it had more depth.[QUOTE]

And that may be true. I think all five of those guys played major D-1 basketball. By the way, the '71 team's lone loss was at the SIU Arena, in the Carbondale Holiday Tournament, to Meridian--who went on to the Class A runner-up spot that year.

[panthers2317]

In Iowa, I'm not sure, but I'd like to take a shot. I think the Ames High School teams with Fred Hoiberg were pretty solid. Iowa Falls with Nick Collison. West High School in Waterloo was pretty solid with Chris Gaines (Hawaii), the kid that played point guard at Iowa State and Anthony Thomas (San Diego). I'm sure there were some East High Waterloo teams that were pretty good through the years as well.

Dubuque Wahlert and Sioux City Heelan have been good throughout the years. I'm sure I'm leaving out a ton. Harlan is good in every sport.

Now I want to research this a little better.

[Northern_Huskies]

Mt vote for Indiana would have to be for the 1913 and 1914 Wingate Spartans.

Durring the regular season the "Gymless Wonders" we're miles ahead of their competition beating teams by huge margins such as:

Wingate 75 Waveland 7
Wingate 85 Cayuga 9
Wingate 108 Hillsbororo 8

The Wingate spartans went on to win the the 1913 state tournament by defeating:

Wingate 24 Whiting 12
Wingate 19 Rochester 17
Wingate 16 Indianapolis Manual 11 (Quarterfinals)
Wingate 23 Lafayette Jefferson 19 (Sem-Finals)
Wingate 15 South Bend 14 (in 5 overtimes) (Finals)

and they won in 1914 by defeating:

Wingate 42 Milan 18
Wingate 42 Westport 18
Wingate 24 Crawfordsville 1
Wingate 17 Clinton 13 (Quarter-Finals)
Wingate 14 Lebanon 8 (Semi-Finals)
Wingate 36 Anderson 8 (Finals)

[scrove]

Wingate 15 South Bend 14 (in 5 overtimes) (Finals)


And we thought Saluki-ball was boring.

[dogdays]

In IL its not close...the 1972 Dolton Thornridge Team...81 Blue Devils were great but not on the same level as Buckners boys...just my opinon.

[CPops]

The Kickapoo is the easy choice but I am sure there were some great teams from either KC or St. Louis back in the 60's or 70's that I just don't know about



Cardinal Ritter's teams in Saint Louis come to mind when I was in high school back in the mid-90s. Jahadi White, Chris Carrawell and Loren Woods...