Best basketball programs from schools that no longer exist

Irish60

Irish60

Well-known member
I've seen several threads about the best high school basketball programs in the State of Ohio, but none that deal specifically with high schools that have shut down for one reason or another. So, which are the best high school programs from schools that no longer exist? In Akron, it is easy. Akron Central Hower had a long history as an excellent program. It had great coaches (Esp. Joe Siegferth). It had state titles. And from Nate Thurmond to Grady Mateen, from Gus Johnson to Jeremiah Wood, and a slew of great players in between, ACH produced some of the best basketball players in Summit County history. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, ACH shuttered its doors in 2006, ending an era of top-flight basketball in Akron. So, what other top programs are no longer around due to high school closure?
 
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Maple_City_Fan said:
I would go more the way of Macomber than Libbey. But, having said this, both weren't really great over sustained time. Just solid teams, here and there
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Libbey sustained. But agreed, none of our teams living or dead had long histories of state level, let alone championships. Lbbey was generally a threat. Impression is, more than Macomber but I'd have to dig to confirm. As mentioned in the "best" thread, they came within a tip-in of beating the consensus best ever. Early 70's Cooke, Steward and Trail all went big college, Cooke going pro. then there were the Bates years. They were almost always in the mix. They were strong around the WWII years.
 
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Bull_Elk said:
Dayton Roth - won state titles in 1976, 1981, 1982.
Dayton Dunbar - won state titles in 1987, 2006, 2007, 2010. Semi-finalist in 1971, 1984.
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Dunbar?? It's still open..Roosevelt closed (2 titles, 1960, 1934) and Colonel White ( 1990) also closed/ merged. Good thing there's an annual February.
 
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petroglyph said:
Dunbar?? It's still open..Roosevelt closed (2 titles, 1960, 1934) and Colonel White ( 1990) also closed/ merged. Good thing there's an annual February.
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Thanks, I don't know why I mentioned Dunbar. Must have been thinking of Roosevelt or that Coach Pete Pullen is no longer at Dunbar.
 
fleadog101 said:
Akron Central Hower and Lorain Admiral King was my favorites. 1971 don't forget about Canton Lehman AA state champions
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The last state title game I saw with my dad was Central Hower versus Admiral King in 1980. The Eagles finally got their state title with a 52-48 victory.

 
eastisbest said:
Libbey sustained. But agreed, none of our teams living or dead had long histories of state level, let alone championships. Lbbey was generally a threat. Impression is, more than Macomber but I'd have to dig to confirm. As mentioned in the "best" thread, they came within a tip-in of beating the consensus best ever. Early 70's Cooke, Steward and Trail all went big college, Cooke going pro. then there were the Bates years. They were almost always in the mix. They were strong around the WWII years.
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In the greatest teams thread, people mention the Columbus East team from 1968 and 69. They were truly great going 24-0 followed by 25-0 but in the semis in 1969, a Libbey team gave them all they wanted, probably the toughest test they had in 2 years and East was lucky to escape 64-63. That Libbey team was great.
 
Irish60 said:
I've seen several threads about the best high school basketball programs in the State of Ohio, but none that deal specifically with high schools that have shut down for one reason or another. So, which are the best high school programs from schools that no longer exist? In Akron, it is easy. Akron Central Hower had a long history as an excellent program. It had great coaches (Esp. Joe Siegferth). It had state titles. And from Nate Thurmond to Grady Mateen, from Gus Johnson to Jeremiah Wood, and a slew of great players in between, ACH produces some of the best basketball players in Summit County history. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, ACH shuttered its doors in 2006, ending an era of top-flight basketball in Akron. So, what other top programs are no longer around due to high school closure?
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Actually it was Akron Central High School which later was merged with Akron Hower Vocational High School. Central was always the basketball power in the city. Hower just sort of rode the coat tails!
 
eastisbest said:
Libbey sustained. But agreed, none of our teams living or dead had long histories of state level, let alone championships. Lbbey was generally a threat. Impression is, more than Macomber but I'd have to dig to confirm. As mentioned in the "best" thread, they came within a tip-in of beating the consensus best ever. Early 70's Cooke, Steward and Trail all went big college, Cooke going pro. then there were the Bates years. They were almost always in the mix. They were strong around the WWII years.
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Cooke was a few years ahead of Steward and Trail. Cooke was on the 1966 team that blew a 13-point fourth quarter lead against Dayton Chaminade. Steward and Trail were on the 1969 team that lost on the missed tip-in against Columbus East in the 1969 state semifinals.
 
3out2in said:
In the greatest teams thread, people mention the Columbus East team from 1968 and 69. They were truly great going 24-0 followed by 25-0 but in the semis in 1969, a Libbey team gave them all they wanted, probably the toughest test they had in 2 years and East was lucky to escape 64-63. That Libbey team was great.
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East went 70-1 over the three seasons ending in 1969. Besides Abe Steward and Eddie Trail, Libbey had a sophomore, Charles (Hurryin') Houston),
who didn't pan out in ensuing years for reasons that now escape me.
 
Vet Observer said:
Cooke was a few years ahead of Steward and Trail. Cooke was on the 1966 team that blew a 13-point fourth quarter lead against Dayton Chaminade. Steward and Trail were on the 1969 team that lost on the missed tip-in against Columbus East in the 1969 state semifinals.
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I was at that game as a kid. Have a little video of the ending. Almost beat an incredible Columbus East team.
 
Indian Valley South,had some great teams in the 70's two state titles and a runner-up,coach by the late Charlie Huggins, and his three sons that played for him,the oldest Bob Huggins now coaching at West Virginia
 
Vet Observer said:
East went 70-1 over the three seasons ending in 1969. Besides Abe Steward and Eddie Trail, Libbey had a sophomore, Charles (Hurryin') Houston),
who didn't pan out in ensuing years for reasons that now escape me.
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Charles Houston was a junior on that '69 Libbey team but got suspended late in the season. He was back the next season and Libbey's best player on the '70 team that upset Macomber in the City League championship game but lost to undefeated Rossford in their first sectional game.
 
D1nwobb said:
Charles Houston was a junior on that '69 Libbey team but got suspended late in the season. He was back the next season and Libbey's best player on the '70 team that upset Macomber in the City League championship game but lost to undefeated Rossford in their first sectional game.
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Rossford went to state (coach Joe Stalma and son, Joe, Jr.) had to be one of the weakest big school state semifinals in memory. Rossford, Boardman, Waverly and Dayton Chaminade. Chaminade was the "weak link" the year before with Columbus East, Toledo Libbey and Canton McKinley. Was probably there a year ahead of time. Won the 1970 title as the expected favorite.
 
Lockland Wayne. Had a 31-2 record in 1949 and finished state runnerup to Delphos St. John's. Won Class B state title in 1952. Believed to be first state basketball championship won by an all-black school in any state. Won state championship again in 1955. Because of the social (racial) temperature at that time it was forced to play a number of larger schools to piece together a schedule. The school was opened in 1938 and closed in 1958. Joe Martin was both the principal and head basketball coach the entire time.
 
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