80's High school BBALL in Western AA

[GrizMania]

I'm going to seem old- but those were great days.

Flathead had Scott Zanon
Sentinel had Scott Moe and Scott Persia
Big Sky had Larry K
Anaconda (still in AA) had Scott Hurley
Helgate had Trevor Meyer

and out at Frenchtown you had Kenley Graves.

The best High school game I ever saw was Sentinel vs Big Sky I believe it was 1983. Scott Moe was sick and Scott Persia went off for 33 points. Larry K had 34 and Big Sky won the game. It was awesome. Had there been a three point line Sentinel would have won because most of Persias points came from about 25 feet away.

your favorite was Brian Harmon 84-85. ;-)

 

[grizwinitall]

I would say playing half season less and taking his rebounding record scoring record etc is definately worthy of talking about not to mention scholarships are offered well before your out of highschool and I saw several of his letters from them before he dropped out and afterwards he didnt have 6'10 height but he did school the players that had that height

It doesn't change the FACY Krysko did it, he didn't. It isn't LK's fault he didn't take advantage of the athletic ability he had. I watched him play and he had plenty of talent, no question, but he wasted it, so any arguement about his being better than LK is a joke.

ok good point made I agree he did waste it and from what he tells me he doesnt regret a thing for all I know we may see him at the nfr in a few years he is a natural athlete and we all know that rodeoing requires some athleticism

 

[Grizbacker1]

I would say playing half season less and taking his rebounding record scoring record etc is definately worthy of talking about not to mention scholarships are offered well before your out of highschool and I saw several of his letters from them before he dropped out and afterwards he didnt have 6'10 height but he did school the players that had that height

It doesn't change the FACY Krysko did it, he didn't. It isn't LK's fault he didn't take advantage of the athletic ability he had. I watched him play and he had plenty of talent, no question, but he wasted it, so any arguement about his being better than LK is a joke.

ok good point made I agree he did waste it and from what he tells me he doesnt regret a thing for all I know we may see him at the nfr in a few years he is a natural athlete and we all know that rodeoing requires some athleticism

If he doesn't have any regrets that is really the only thing that matters anyway. No question he has a ton of talent. Rodeo is one hell of a tough sport. I don't know how old you are, but Rod Lyman was a damn good football player, and has done alright in the steer wrestling, having been to the NFR a few times. I think anyone who can ride, rope, whatever they do is a great athlete, and nuts, at least the bull riders are nuts. I played ball with a guy who would damn near cry when he got hit in Football, then ride bulls in the summer. I could never figure that one out.

 

[Mavman]

Scapegoat that 87 game was awesome I went with Aarons dad and little brother troy to that tournament good memories.

I know you all have brought up the great male players of the 80's,
However the 88-90' teams in missoula on the girls side produced some great players too! Big Sky had Kelly P, Ann lake, Trish, and Heidi. Sentinel had Heidi Harris who went to play ball at New mexico I beleive and Hellgate had the big blonde Jill something???

 

[Grizbacker1]

Scapegoat that 87 game was awesome I went with Aarons dad and little brother troy to that tournament good memories.

I know you all have brought up the great male players of the 80's,
However the 88-90' teams in missoula on the girls side produced some great players too! Big Sky had Kelly P, Ann lake, Trish, and Heidi. Sentinel had Heidi Harris who went to play ball at New mexico I beleive and Hellgate had the big blonde Jill something???

Jill Frohlich is her name.

 

[Paytonlives]

I'm going to seem old- but those were great days.

Flathead had Scott Zanon
Sentinel had Scott Moe and Scott Persia
Big Sky had Larry K
Anaconda (still in AA) had Scott Hurley
Helgate had Trevor Meyer

and out at Frenchtown you had Kenley Graves.

The best High school game I ever saw was Sentinel vs Big Sky I believe it was 1983. Scott Moe was sick and Scott Persia went off for 33 points. Larry K had 34 and Big Sky won the game. It was awesome. Had there been a three point line Sentinel would have won because most of Persias points came from about 25 feet away.

Wow, Kenley Graves. That name brings back some memories. I remember running in the sprints against him, was a great 100M, 200M and quarter miler!

Kenley was a hell of a baseball player too, and a great guy.

Kenley was All-State in Football, Basketball, Track and Baseball. Thats why I added him to the list.

People are going a bit off on the topic. What I was pointing out with the list are the best ATH I remember in the 80's. ALL of them also excelled in several other sports. Not jus BBall guys.

Those were the cream of the crop ath. the other ones were good at bball.

 

[Swillbury]

I agree but a guy by the name of Matt rogers ......averaged right near 32 points agame his senior year ..awesome ball player but dropped out of school the day after leading big sky to their one and only state championship

This is my kinda thread!

Anyways, What Big Sky team has went the farthest since that glorious 97 run?

(Ill give you a hint, 2007)

:thumb:

 

[scapegoat griz]

I agree but a guy by the name of Matt rogers ......averaged right near 32 points agame his senior year ..awesome ball player but dropped out of school the day after leading big sky to their one and only state championship

This is my kinda thread!

Anyways, What Big Sky team has went the farthest since that glorious 97 run?

(Ill give you a hint, 2007)

:thumb:

Lets see..... '87, '97, '07. Watch out for Big Sky in '17.... my girls will be..... 17! Coincidence? I think not!

 

[spam]

For me this is not even close, Larry Krystkowiak. It is hard to argue for any other player. Look at everything he accomplished compared to any other player from Montana period. I am sure someone will try making an arguement otherwise. Let me say in advance, I am sticking to LK on this one and will not even debate it.

MTGrizRule, in terms of the best HS player from Missoula, I would think there would at least be a debate with Mike Lewis.

Mike was an all-american at Duke, led them to a final four, was their team MVP, is CURRENTLY the 2nd all-time leading rebounder (per game) and the 11th all-time leading scorer (per game) in Duke history, is in their hall-of-fame, played several years in the ABA averaging 12 points and 12 rebounds per game for his career, played in an ABA all-star game and teamed up with Rick Barry and Dan Issel to win that game, etc.

Mike not only led his high-school teams to state championships, but one of his Missoula teams is still considered by many to be the best ever in the history of Montana basketball. I'm not sure anyone ever got within 15 or 20 points of that team all year.

 

[MT Head Guy]

I think the orginal list on this thread it pretty solid - though in their high school years Epperly was "the man" compared to Zanon . . . both exceptional athletes.

The 1986 Flathead MBB team was pretty impressive that year as well losing only a couple games - didn't win state. They were led by Grady Bennett.

 

[Grizbacker1]

For me this is not even close, Larry Krystkowiak. It is hard to argue for any other player. Look at everything he accomplished compared to any other player from Montana period. I am sure someone will try making an arguement otherwise. Let me say in advance, I am sticking to LK on this one and will not even debate it.

MTGrizRule, in terms of the best HS player from Missoula, I would think there would at least be a debate with Mike Lewis.

Mike was an all-american at Duke, led them to a final four, was their team MVP, is CURRENTLY the 2nd all-time leading rebounder (per game) and the 11th all-time leading scorer (per game) in Duke history, is in their hall-of-fame, played several years in the ABA averaging 12 points and 12 rebounds per game for his career, played in an ABA all-star game and teamed up with Rick Barry and Dan Issel to win that game, etc.

Mike not only led his high-school teams to state championships, but one of his Missoula teams is still considered by many to be the best ever in the history of Montana basketball. I'm not sure anyone ever got within 15 or 20 points of that team all year.

Let's not forget Anaconda's Wayne Estes, who was one of the best college players in the country (1st Team All American) and a sure bet in the NBA until his tragic accident. Wayne scored 48 points the night he died.

http://www.nbcsports.com/sports/1122671/detail.html

 

[jgilder68]

As a Florence-Carlton player in the 80's I recall a couple of things from that era. Bill Pilgram did not even start in Plains until his senior year. That's how deep they were. Frenchtown had a better basketball player named Anthony ??? who played at Western. And, nothing matched the intensity of a Florence-Carlton vs Loyola or Holst vs. Blaine Taylor matchup.

 

[GRIZ25]

Anthony Gullo was the player from Frenchtown. He was a heck of a shooter. Would shoot it from the pop machine if open. Graves was a great athlete, but not the best basketball player. Especially when at the state tourney in Shelby he pushed a kid in the back going up for a layup and cost Frenchtown the game against Fairview. Those were good game between Falcons and Rams. The previous poster was a hell of a player for Florence himself.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Bigfork and Corvallis were extremely good B programs back then.
Unfortunately for every western B team then, Plains was "that damn good". To this day, the 85 to 89 Plains' teams were the funnest HS team to watch.

Also I will put Wayne Estes on the same level with LK! Unfortunately, his life was cut short. The sky was the limit for Estes from what I have heard. Sorry for leaving any players prior late 70's off here, but that is as far back as I go. I wish I could have witnessed Estes play.

 

[jgilder68]

Here are three more names from Class C in the early 80's. Bryan Porch, Mike Haines, and Doug Selvig. I remember people being turned away at the door for Florence vs Seeley games. This matchup was as intense as any I've ever seen and the Porch and Haines matchup was the big story in each game. I remember seeing Florence play Outlook in the 1980 State tournament. Doug Selvig turned a tight game at halftime into a 20 point route with 3-point bank shots before there was a three point line. Obviously an amazing highschool player.

 

[mtgrizrule]

Another phenomenal Class C player from the late 80's, anyone remember Todd Reich from Hot Springs?

 

[Paytonlives]

Another phenomenal Class C player from the late 80's, anyone remember Todd Reich from Hot Springs?

The one man stae track champion that throw javalin and almost made the the Olympics...

A great Addition to the list

 

[Grizbacker1]

You young guns on here probably won't recognize this name, but he is unquestionably one of the best to ever play hoops in MT. His name is Allan Neilson, from the little class C town of Westby. Allan had his life cut short or he may well have set a LOT of records at UM. The Allan Neilson Award was begun to honor the Griz BB player who best represents Grizzly basketball. Allan led the Griz in 1978 and was inducted into the Grizzly Hall of Fame in 1980.

 

[Paytonlives]

You young guns on here probably won't recognize this name, but he is unquestionably one of the best to ever play hoops in MT. His name is Allan Neilson, from the little class C town of Westby. Allan had his life cut short or he may well have set a LOT of records at UM. The Allan Neilson Award was begun to honor the Griz BB player who best represents Grizzly basketball. Allan led the Griz in 1978 and was inducted into the Grizzly Hall of Fame in 1980.

I remember it well, he died working a summer job at a wood mill in Missoula. Great guy, great player.

 

[grizfan24]

Here are three more names from Class C in the early 80's. Bryan Porch, Mike Haines, and Doug Selvig. I remember people being turned away at the door for Florence vs Seeley games. This matchup was as intense as any I've ever seen and the Porch and Haines matchup was the big story in each game. I remember seeing Florence play Outlook in the 1980 State tournament. Doug Selvig turned a tight game at halftime into a 20 point route with 3-point bank shots before there was a three point line. Obviously an amazing highschool player.



You can pretty much put that selvig family into it