The West Virginia All-Stars included (click on all pictures to enlarge): Front row: Andy Hayes, Eddie Smith, Randy Risher, Gay Elmore, Ritchie Holstein, Gary Orr; Back row: Rodger Monk, Dean Winefordner, Steve Smith, Scott Bell, Craig Kay, Roger Littleberry, Andy Spradling, Jim Triplett, Ron Cobb.
In 1976, Rodger Monk, Ron Cobb, and Jim Triplett set out on a quest to put together a basketball team of West Virginia-based players which could conquer the United States, just as a 16-and-under West Virginia team led by Mount Hope’s Earl Jones and South Charleston’s Greg Young were about to do that very year. Over the next four years, the trio of coaches would take three teams to the AAU National Championship. Two teams, the 12-and-under group in 1977 in Cincinnati, and a 14-and-under group in 1979 in Charleston, would reach the pinnacle of their sport – AAU national champions. In 1978, the 14-and-under team -- which included Elmore, Reed, and myself but was led by John Mawyer, Jeff Eddy, Larry Bryson, DeHan Jefferson, Brian Eddy -- was defeated in the AAU National Championship game. No West Virginia team has repeated our feat since 1979 in Charleston.
The 1976 team was led by three seventh graders, Charlestonians Craig Kay and Roger Littleberry, and Barboursville’s Scott Bell and probably lacked a great deal of outside scoring presence.
Ron Cobb had approached me after an All-Star game in which he was the referee. I was playing for St. Albans Western. We’d had a little humorous banter in the game because I was tall and could palm a basketball – which I of course tried to do at every opportunity to show off – and because while I was not paying attention he nearly took my head off reporting a call to the scorer’s table. But that’s what he, Rodger, and Jim were doing, taking the best players they knew and picking the best All-Stars they could find.
Practices were rugged, something I’d never experienced. I’d get so nervous I’d hyperventilate. We had to keep brown paper bags at practice for me to breath into when I’d have an attack. Two things happened there for me. I’d already been working hard as an individual, but I learned the importance of hustle and how to practice in a team concept. Secondly, Ron, after practice one day, got me working on a one-handed jump shot. I’d always been a post player, but those days were coming to an end. In fact, I’d quit growing the following year, at about 6-1 ½ -- at 13. The jump shot seemed to come naturally to me, though it was something else to take home and practice hours a day.
The team learned some hard lessons in its first trip to a national tournament, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. But despite a great deal of youth – mostly sixth graders that wouldn’t be able to return due to where their birthdays fell -- the team managed a seventh place finish. In the locker room after our final loss, Rodger asked the four players young enough to return, Gay Elmore, Joey Bowles, Randy Risher and myself, if we were willing to commit to giving what it took to come back and win it all. The answer was a resounding yes…
The 1976 team was led by three seventh graders, Charlestonians Craig Kay and Roger Littleberry, and Barboursville’s Scott Bell and probably lacked a great deal of outside scoring presence.
Ron Cobb had approached me after an All-Star game in which he was the referee. I was playing for St. Albans Western. We’d had a little humorous banter in the game because I was tall and could palm a basketball – which I of course tried to do at every opportunity to show off – and because while I was not paying attention he nearly took my head off reporting a call to the scorer’s table. But that’s what he, Rodger, and Jim were doing, taking the best players they knew and picking the best All-Stars they could find.
Practices were rugged, something I’d never experienced. I’d get so nervous I’d hyperventilate. We had to keep brown paper bags at practice for me to breath into when I’d have an attack. Two things happened there for me. I’d already been working hard as an individual, but I learned the importance of hustle and how to practice in a team concept. Secondly, Ron, after practice one day, got me working on a one-handed jump shot. I’d always been a post player, but those days were coming to an end. In fact, I’d quit growing the following year, at about 6-1 ½ -- at 13. The jump shot seemed to come naturally to me, though it was something else to take home and practice hours a day.
The team learned some hard lessons in its first trip to a national tournament, in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. But despite a great deal of youth – mostly sixth graders that wouldn’t be able to return due to where their birthdays fell -- the team managed a seventh place finish. In the locker room after our final loss, Rodger asked the four players young enough to return, Gay Elmore, Joey Bowles, Randy Risher and myself, if we were willing to commit to giving what it took to come back and win it all. The answer was a resounding yes…
