It was a true blast from the past for basketball-playing alumni who gathered in Blackshear on March 16. The upstart Pierce County Sports Hall of Fame invited all graduates of Pierce County High School, as well as those from the pre-consolidation era schools – Blackshear High, Lee Street High, and Patterson High – for a reunion game to raise money for the HOF. The event was co-hosted by the Pierce County Recreation Department.
“It was just like old times for these ladies and men this evening,” HOF board member Diann Strickland said. “Some of them were here more than an hour before tipoff, ready to go. And some of them are already talking about coming back next week for their own pick-up game. We appreciate them lending their talents once more to Pierce County, and it looks like they enjoyed getting back out there again on the court. Everyone apparently had a lot of fun.”
Longtime area coaching legends Genevive Strickland Pope and Wayne Sasser strode the sidelines once more. Both coached at Patterson High School and later at PCHS. Former Blackshear High coach Wes Bennett, who later served as principal at PCHS, was also named an honorary coach for the event. Marlin Brown, the certified athletic trainer for PCHS, served in that same capacity for the all-star event.
The following players competed in the women’s game: Jennifer Carter Johnson (PCHS, 1992), Stephany James Smith (Patterson High and PCHS, 1982), Carrie Myles Jackson (PCHS, 1983), Lori Altman Marx (PCHS, 1998), Kathy Watkins Bradley (PCHS, 2000), Lisa Aldrich (PCHS, 1987), Kathy Jacobs (Blackshear High, 1975), Millie Knowlton Walker (Patterson High, 1979), Nancy Tyre Aspinwall (Patterson High, 1971), Ala Mae Myles (Patterson High and PCHS, 1983), Wendy Bennett Puryear (PCHS, 1987), and Lori Aldrich (PCHS, 1987).
Competitors for the men were as follows: Anthony Smith (Patterson High and PCHS, 1983), Keith Ambrose (PCHS, 1990), JoJo Jackson (PCHS, 2010), Marquise Foreman (PCHS, 2015), Tony Callahan (Blackshear High,1973), Darrell Hunter (Patterson High, 1978), Andrew Cuneo (PCHS, 2008), Wesley Martin (PCHS, 2008), Bernard Johnson (PCHS, 1988), Jeremy Carter (PCHS,1997), Caleb King (PCHS, 2008), Rufus Edwards (PCHS, 1985), Josh Henderson (PCHS, 2015), and Damon Moody (PCHS,1995).
SE-SP-4.17-Pierce-HOFbasketball
Basketball Alumni Hoop It Up for the Hall of Fame
Written by: John DuPont | Photography by: Jennifer Carter Johnson
