Sun-Democrat, March 12, 1974

 

‘Believing’ Helped Murray Get To State

 

Atkins’ Alley by Jerry Atkins

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Murray, Ky--”You’ve Gotta Believe!”  Coined by the New York Mets during a remarkable baseball season last year, that phrase became a part of Murray High School’s magic march to the top in First Region basketball.

 

A big “You’ve Gotta Believe” sign, painted in bright red and blue with black and gold “Tiger” stripes dominating the “You’ve” part of the slogan, was placed on the wall of the Murray High dressing room while the 1973 high school football season was still going on ...and, it’s been there ever since.

 

Meanwhile, across the room on the dressing room bulletin board, a big chalk message points out that “This is the Year of the Tigers.”   Somewhere in between those two phrases, Coach Bob Toon’s Murray High basketball team posted a sparkling 26-2 record that included the championship of the First Region.

 

And, along with that championship goes a trip to Louisville for the 57th playing of the Kentucky State Tournament, an event no Murray team has ever enjoyed.  Sometimes, “You’ve Gotta Believe” in order to reach such a position, and the 1973-74 Tigers are one team that certainly has.

 

“This team started playing winning basketball the first night of the season...against Calloway County at Murray State,” Toon, who is completing his 10th season at the Tiger helm, said while looking back on the season early this week.  “They’re probably as consistent a ball club as I’ve ever had.  Except for those two losses, the closest anybody got to us before the tournaments was eight points.”

 

Toon’s Tigers started the season with three straight wins, the first one a 66-58 triumph over arch-rival Calloway and the third one an 80-67 win at Paducah Tilghman.  Then, Carlisle County claimed a 75-66 triumph on the Comet floor, a setback that was to be avenged four games later in the finals of the Mayfield Christmas Invitational.  The Tigers took home their first of three trophies with a 69-65 overtime victory over the then unbeaten Carlisle quint.

 

Following the Carlisle loss on Dec. 11, Murray ripped off six straight wins and moved to the top of the First Region poll of coaches, a weekly ranking conducted by Sun-Democrat sports.  But, more trouble came on Jan. 18 when a trip to Mayfield resulted in a solid 64-54 win by the Cardinals, leaving Murray at 9-2 for the year.

 

“They said when we lost at Mayfield that it would be the last one they’d lose,” Toon said of his Tigers.  And, apparently, the “You’ve Gotta Believe” slogan took over, for the Tigers haven’t lost since...17 straight victories, including the last 11 during the regular season and six during the tournaments.

 

“These kids are very deserving,”  Toon proclaimed.  “They had to fight from the number seven position in the preseason poll to the top...and I think it made them a better ball club to have to prove themselves.”  Once at the top, Toon didn’t feel the ratings affected his club.

 

But ratings and records will have little to do with this week’s trip to the “Sweet Sixteen” in Louisville.  Now, the Tigers will have to prove themselves all over again...and, it’s not going to get any easier.  The rest of the way undoubtedly will be a rugged trail to follow.

 

As a team, Murray will carry impressive statistics into the 57th Kentucky State Tournament.  The Tigers have scored 2,167 points in 28 outings, an average of 77.4 points per trip, and held opponents to 1,588 points, a 56.7 average.  Thus, it's easy to see why the Tigers have enjoyed success, averaging better than 20 points a game over opponents.

 

Two other key statistics that point to Tiger success are rebounds and assists.  Murray players averaged better than 46 rebounds a game against an average of almost 34 by opponents, and offensively, handed out 467 assists.  “You know they’re finding the open man,” Toon said of the assist total that averages out close to 17 per game.

 

At the start of the season, Toon and his staff didn't know just how good the Tigers would actually be.  “We had a couple of question marks,” Toon explained.  “First, Tyrone

McCuiston) was the big question, because of his knee.  And, we didn’t know whether Jackson (Glenn) was going to be able to get it all together attitude-wise this year.  Also, we knew we had to find a fifth and sixth man.”

 

McCuiston, who averaged almost 14 points a game as a sophomore, missed last season because of knee surgery following a football injury.  So, nobody knew for sure how long he would be able to last.  And, Jackson, a 5-11 “quarterback” for the Tigers, developed quite a temper problem a year ago, making his contribution to the team questionable.

 

But, both players came through with flying colors!

  Then, the other problem was left….finding that fifth and sixth man.  Three of last year’s starters--Jackson, Ray Lane and Danny Hudspeth--returned along  with McCuiston, a proven starter from the year before.  But, two other starters--Dean Willis and George Landolt--along with sixth man Joe Resig, were gone because of graduation.

 

“We were fortunate to come up with seven or eight players,” Toon said, answering that problem.

 

So, with Murray heading into the State Tournament for the first time in the school’s history, here's a closer look at the players who made it all possible:

 

RAY LANE--A 5-11 senior guard, Lane averaged almost 14 points a game last year and upped it by four points this time out.  Blessed with a brilliant talent of ball-handling and passing, he led the team in assists with five a game (136 for the season).  “Ray is a smart ball player,” Coach Toon pointed out.  “Not only is he a good ball handler, but he’s probably our best outside shooter.  He loves basketball and plays to win.”  Lane, who broke into the Tiger starting lineup late in the season as a sophomore, hits at a 41 percent clip from the field and 67 percent at the free throw line.

 

GLENN JACKSON--Also a senior, the 6-foot Jackson leads the Tigers in scoring with a 19.5 average.  Blessed with the knack of getting into the “key” for a short jumper, Jackson ranks as one of the best shooters on the team with a season percentage of 44.  “He’s made tremendous improvement this year in controlling himself,” his coach said.  “He has become a leader for us and has proven to be the most consistent player on the floor.  Jackson sets up the Tiger offense from the point and ranks as the third-leading performer on assist charts.

 

DANNY HUDSPETH--A rugged performer inside, the 6-1 Hudspeth is actually “taller” than his size indicates.  The husky center, who averaged 11.2 points and led the team with 10 rebounds a year ago, carries credentials of 14.2 and 12.3 respectively this season.  “He’s the type kid who never says much, but just gets the job done,” Toon said.  “He’s a hard worker, but gets into a lot of foul trouble because he’s hustling after the ball.”  Hudspeth, who plays “down under” all the time, has hit 66 percent of his field goal attempts this season, the best on the team.

 

TYRONE MCCUISTON--A 6-2 high jumper, McCuiston ranks high on the Tiger list for his contribution.  Not only is he the team’s leading rebounder with a 13.1 average, but also ranks alongside Hudspeth with a 14.2 scoring average and trails only Lane in the assist department.  As a sophomore, Ty was the team’s second-leading rebounder and scorer behind his older brother Porter, who was a senior that year.  Now, after missing his junior year, he’s retained a leadership role for the Bengals.  “He's a very emotional-type kid,” his coach pointed out.  “He can stir up a ball club, and he can also intimidate another club.  He shows his emotions on the floor, but is probably the most competitive kid I’ve ever coached….he refuses to quit.”

 

BOB WILDER--The tallest of the starting Tigers at 6-foot-5, Wilder moved into the fourth position in the lineup somewhat unexpectedly.  “Bob plays a good floor game, but sometimes gets into foul troubles because of his good defense,” Toon said.  “He’s very serious about basketball, and we use him at three positions--high post, guard and forward.”  Averaging six rebounds a game, Wilder, who is only a sophomore, doesn’t shoot very much but still contributed just over five points an outing.

 

 

JOHNNY SHELLEY--A 6-3 senior, Shelley moved along with Wilder in unexpected fashion.  A starter at times throughout the season, he became better known for his dependability as a valuable sixth man.  “He gave us the spark we needed all year long,” Toon said of his senior.  “Coming off the bench like he did, I’d have to vote him as ‘Mr. Hustle’ for us….he never complains, just does his job.”  Shelley averaged three points and five rebounds for the tigers this year.

 

PHIL MILLER--A big, strong 6-2 junior, Miller became the seventh man for the Tigers, being used mostly in a post position.  At the first of the season, Murray coaches were looking at him to fill the fifth spot, but Wilder and Shelley came on strong to push him back.  Still, he’s been a valuable contribution to the season.  “Without him being ready, we couldn’t be where we are now,” his coach commented.  “He's really added to our strength on the boards.”  Miller, who has played in 24 of Murray’s 28 games, averaged four points and 3.5 rebounds.

 

DALE MCCUISTON, a 5-8 junior guard and younger brother of Tyrone, developed as the so-called eighth man and played enough to have the experience to perform when needed.  Meanwhile, other squadmen are DAVID FRANK, a 6-4 sophomore; MARK WILLIAMS, a 6-4 junior; ELI ALEXANDER,  a 6-2 junior; and KEITH TABERS, a 5-11 sophomore.