1977 Boys Basketball Team
During the season, the 1977 senior boys basketball team was ranked number one in class A, winning their first 27 games of the year. They finished the season at 29-3 which was, and still is, the best won/loss percentage for a single season. Players on the team who have been previously inducted into RHSSHOF: Randy Rogers, Charlie Bateman, and Scotty Johnson.
Achievements of the team include the following:
Clay County Tournament Champions , Arkansas College Invitational Champions A-AA Division , District 2A Runner-Up Conference Champions
The 1977 season was Kelly Scobey’s first year as head senior high boys basketball coach. He only had two (2) starters who were six (6) feet tall, Charlie Bateman and Scotty Johnson. The other three (3) starters were 5’11” Randy Rogers, 5’9” Don Baker, and 5’9” Gary Avery. In an article of The Commercial Appeal, (1-26-77) the following is stated: “‘It’s a good way to break in as a head coach’ he (Scobey) laughed. Now that I realize how good our kids can play, the record isn’t such a surprise, but no one expects to be unbeaten…People find that hard to believe [the lack of height on the team]…but it’s true. We’re little, but we can shoot. I’d say we shoot in a class with some of the great Rector teams of the past.”
Ronnie Hardin of the Democrat Sports Staff in a June 2003 article entitled “Scobey recalls 1977 glory year”, Coach Scobey stated the following: "These kids had a good work ethic. They really worked hard to make themselves better…They were fundamentally sound. They always thought they could find a way to beat any team. They were just a joy to coach. I will always have a lot of fun memories about that season."
The 1977 team had several come from behind games and demonstrated that they “…could find a way to beat any team…” The following taken from the February 8, 1977 issue of the Arkansas Gazette illustrates that very point. “The Blackcats—with a penchant for recovering seemingly irrecoverable games”…‘“We were ahead by seven points with less than a minute to go and lost by two,’ said coach Chester Barner Jr. ‘We thought it was bad at the time, but they’ve been doing it all season long.’…‘They’ve just got one heckuva lot of desire,’ Barner said. ‘They’ve just got that die-hard attitude when the game gets down to the last minute.’”
Ronnie Hardin made the following insightful statement in the June 2003 article: “Coach Scobey was fortunate to have players with such a winning attitude but they were fortunate also to have a coach who brought out their best.”
Hardin also said: “The good fortune of coach Scobey and his players contrasted strongly with the bad luck they inflicted on other teams that season. Quite understandable because those were the days of the Rector Blackcats who were most adept at acquainting their foes with bad luck.”
Achievements of the team include the following:
Clay County Tournament Champions , Arkansas College Invitational Champions A-AA Division , District 2A Runner-Up Conference Champions
The 1977 season was Kelly Scobey’s first year as head senior high boys basketball coach. He only had two (2) starters who were six (6) feet tall, Charlie Bateman and Scotty Johnson. The other three (3) starters were 5’11” Randy Rogers, 5’9” Don Baker, and 5’9” Gary Avery. In an article of The Commercial Appeal, (1-26-77) the following is stated: “‘It’s a good way to break in as a head coach’ he (Scobey) laughed. Now that I realize how good our kids can play, the record isn’t such a surprise, but no one expects to be unbeaten…People find that hard to believe [the lack of height on the team]…but it’s true. We’re little, but we can shoot. I’d say we shoot in a class with some of the great Rector teams of the past.”
Ronnie Hardin of the Democrat Sports Staff in a June 2003 article entitled “Scobey recalls 1977 glory year”, Coach Scobey stated the following: "These kids had a good work ethic. They really worked hard to make themselves better…They were fundamentally sound. They always thought they could find a way to beat any team. They were just a joy to coach. I will always have a lot of fun memories about that season."
The 1977 team had several come from behind games and demonstrated that they “…could find a way to beat any team…” The following taken from the February 8, 1977 issue of the Arkansas Gazette illustrates that very point. “The Blackcats—with a penchant for recovering seemingly irrecoverable games”…‘“We were ahead by seven points with less than a minute to go and lost by two,’ said coach Chester Barner Jr. ‘We thought it was bad at the time, but they’ve been doing it all season long.’…‘They’ve just got one heckuva lot of desire,’ Barner said. ‘They’ve just got that die-hard attitude when the game gets down to the last minute.’”
Ronnie Hardin made the following insightful statement in the June 2003 article: “Coach Scobey was fortunate to have players with such a winning attitude but they were fortunate also to have a coach who brought out their best.”
Hardin also said: “The good fortune of coach Scobey and his players contrasted strongly with the bad luck they inflicted on other teams that season. Quite understandable because those were the days of the Rector Blackcats who were most adept at acquainting their foes with bad luck.”