JIMMY W. MCKEEL
Jimmy W. McKeel showed signs of being an outstanding athlete early in his life. In the 9th grade, Jimmy was the leading scorer on a good junior high team which lost to Jonesboro in the district championship game by nine (9) points. Rector then advanced to the junior high state tournament and Jimmy was selected to the All-State team. At the conclusion of the state tournament, Jimmy moved up to Rector’s senior high team and scored 20 points in the first game of the district tournament. This began his senior high career.
In his senior high career, Jimmy lettered in basketball in 1958, 1959, and 1960. He was a starter all three (3) years of his senior high career. He also lettered in baseball for those years.
Jimmy was the first Rector athlete to make All-State in basketball in senior high (1959) and junior high (1957).
During Coach Bucy’s era at Rector, Jimmy ranked 3rd in career points with 1,222 points and 4th in career points per game with 13.0 points per game.
As a sophomore, he was a starter on the Rector team which reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament before losing to Sheridan, who won the tournament. In the two (2) games, Jimmy scored 17 points vs Green Forest and 13 vs Sheridan.
In his sophomore year, Jimmy was the second leading scorer on the team scoring 402 points with a 13.0 average per game. In the district and state tournament games of that season he hit 31 out of 33 free-throws…a 94% average.
When Jimmy was a junior, in a controversial ending, Rector lost the state championship game by one point in overtime. As time expired, Jimmy rebounded a missed shot and made a basket which would have won the state championship if it had counted. One official ruled it good and the other ruled no good. After consulting the timekeeper, it was ruled no good. Jimmy was named to the All-State team. He scored 15, 11, 23, and 6 points [a total of 55 points] in the four state tournament games of 1959 in which the championship game was lost in overtime. He hit two baskets in the last quarter of the one (1) point win in the quarterfinals against White Hall, and he hit four (4) free throws in the last 1:09 of the semi-final three (3) point win over Hoxie.
In his junior year, Jimmy was selected as “most athletic” of RHS.
Coach Jess Bucy said the following: “Jimmy was a very good two (2) sport athlete. He was the best hitter on our high school baseball team.”
Jimmy W. McKeel showed signs of being an outstanding athlete early in his life. In the 9th grade, Jimmy was the leading scorer on a good junior high team which lost to Jonesboro in the district championship game by nine (9) points. Rector then advanced to the junior high state tournament and Jimmy was selected to the All-State team. At the conclusion of the state tournament, Jimmy moved up to Rector’s senior high team and scored 20 points in the first game of the district tournament. This began his senior high career.
In his senior high career, Jimmy lettered in basketball in 1958, 1959, and 1960. He was a starter all three (3) years of his senior high career. He also lettered in baseball for those years.
Jimmy was the first Rector athlete to make All-State in basketball in senior high (1959) and junior high (1957).
During Coach Bucy’s era at Rector, Jimmy ranked 3rd in career points with 1,222 points and 4th in career points per game with 13.0 points per game.
As a sophomore, he was a starter on the Rector team which reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament before losing to Sheridan, who won the tournament. In the two (2) games, Jimmy scored 17 points vs Green Forest and 13 vs Sheridan.
In his sophomore year, Jimmy was the second leading scorer on the team scoring 402 points with a 13.0 average per game. In the district and state tournament games of that season he hit 31 out of 33 free-throws…a 94% average.
When Jimmy was a junior, in a controversial ending, Rector lost the state championship game by one point in overtime. As time expired, Jimmy rebounded a missed shot and made a basket which would have won the state championship if it had counted. One official ruled it good and the other ruled no good. After consulting the timekeeper, it was ruled no good. Jimmy was named to the All-State team. He scored 15, 11, 23, and 6 points [a total of 55 points] in the four state tournament games of 1959 in which the championship game was lost in overtime. He hit two baskets in the last quarter of the one (1) point win in the quarterfinals against White Hall, and he hit four (4) free throws in the last 1:09 of the semi-final three (3) point win over Hoxie.
In his junior year, Jimmy was selected as “most athletic” of RHS.
Coach Jess Bucy said the following: “Jimmy was a very good two (2) sport athlete. He was the best hitter on our high school baseball team.”