Best Frontcourt

[hapapp]

Thought this was about front court players not guards. At any rate wasn't there a guy sometime around 1980ish named Payton who was really good? I started in '82. I think they even started called Varsity Payton's Place? If memory serves we hosted and beat Duke and I was told he lit them up. Again, it was a couple of years before my time but people said he was great.

Charles Payton, a Cremins recruit from Camden, NJ I believe. He was definitely a force inside. Also lead the team in rebounding and shooting percentage for three years. I believe he is the top 15 of all time scorers at App.

[Stonewall]

Thought this was about front court players not guards. At any rate wasn't there a guy sometime around 1980ish named Payton who was really good? I started in '82. I think they even started called Varsity Payton's Place? If memory serves we hosted and beat Duke and I was told he lit them up. Again, it was a couple of years before my time but people said he was great.

Charles Payton was a warrior, heck of a player. Truly hated in all SoCon venues outside of Boone. Key ingredient in the last Cremins team.

[Stonewall]

Patterson would be on my Bball Rushmore.

I'd go Robinson, Patterson, Sims (almost went DJ Thompson from that era), and Gregory.

No Marhsall Phillips love?

Point taken. All around probably near the top. Similar to Donovan but probably a little quicker if quite not as strong. His two years got Buzz rolling .

[Saint3333]

Patterson would be on my Bball Rushmore.

I'd go Robinson, Patterson, Sims (almost went DJ Thompson from that era), and Gregory.

No Marhsall Phillips love?

Tried to pick one player from each decade and it came down to Phillips and Patterson there. Marshall was a more raw Gregory, great defender, excellent slasher, and a good dude.

[app97]

Chad McClendon and Kareem Livingston played together in the frontcourt for a year or two if I recall correctly....2 of the better front court players, just not great teams.

[app97]

Kellen Brand and Donald Sims are the closest comparison on offensive lethality. Brand was a hustler.

Junior Braswell was a baller. The team around him wasn't great, but he had great skill at the guard position.

He could take over a game , and did on many occasions. Smooth and deadly from anywhere on the court.

Stephon Marbury's cousin as I recall. The two played against each other in Varisty when Ga. Tech came to town.

That was the first game I attended as an App student. Ga Tech started the game on an 18-0 run. Braswell looked like he belonged, but he didn't have much help. We won 8 games that season and Apke got canned. Buzz entered as head coach the next season and brought a refreshing style of play and turned us into a Socon contender right away.

[hapapp]

Chad McClendon and Kareem Livingston played together in the frontcourt for a year or two if I recall correctly....2 of the better front court players, just not great teams.

I definitely remembered those two. Both very athletic.

[Stonewall]

McClendon and Sam Gibson were two of our better “ back to the basket “ guys along with Tony Searcy , in my recollection.

[Cro-Magnon App]

Chili Payton was the SOCON POY in ‘79? Is that right? Boo Lawrence scored 32 at Clemson and I believe he did not miss a shot. Could be wrong. Does anybody remember that game?

[AppDub]

Kellen Brand and Donald Sims are the closest comparison on offensive lethality. Brand was a hustler.

Junior Braswell was a baller. The team around him wasn't great, but he had great skill at the guard position.

He could take over a game , and did on many occasions. Smooth and deadly from anywhere on the court.

Stephon Marbury's cousin as I recall. The two played against each other in Varisty when Ga. Tech came to town.

That was the first game I attended as an App student. Ga Tech started the game on an 18-0 run. Braswell looked like he belonged, but he didn't have much help. We won 8 games that season and Apke got canned. Buzz entered as head coach the next season and brought a refreshing style of play and turned us into a Socon contender right away.

Your assessment is spot on. Would have liked to see him have some help.

[Stonewall]

Chili Payton was the SOCON POY in ‘79? Is that right? Boo Lawrence scored 32 at Clemson and I believe he did not miss a shot. Could be wrong. Does anybody remember that game?

Payton was POY in 1981. I remember the Clemson game . I talk to Boo occasionally. He’s doing well.

[app97]

Junior Braswell was a baller. The team around him wasn't great, but he had great skill at the guard position.

He could take over a game , and did on many occasions. Smooth and deadly from anywhere on the court.

Stephon Marbury's cousin as I recall. The two played against each other in Varisty when Ga. Tech came to town.

That was the first game I attended as an App student. Ga Tech started the game on an 18-0 run. Braswell looked like he belonged, but he didn't have much help. We won 8 games that season and Apke got canned. Buzz entered as head coach the next season and brought a refreshing style of play and turned us into a Socon contender right away.

Your assessment is spot on. Would have liked to see him have some help.

we couldn't do anything to contain Matt Harpring that day.

[scatman77]

We had a decent starting frontcourt during the Cremins era. Calvin Bowser and Mel Hubbard come to mind. He didn't have the depth we have now for sure.

You left out Mel Hubbard and Tony Searcy (national RPG leader his senior year with over 12 per game)

[Cro-Magnon App]

Boo turned out to be a lot smarter than anybody ever gave him credit for. What a great guy! And fun to watch play.

[asumba95]

I did not know about Junior and Marbury. Billy Ross was a very good and just tough as nails player in his day . Beat Davidson almost single handed on more than one occasion. DJ Thompson might be my overall guard pick though.

Billy Ross was a deadly shooter. Saw him score 30+ against ETSU when they had Mr. Jennings and Talford on their team. ETSU and UTC were talented teams when I was in school.

[ASUPATCH]

Donte Minter and Jeremy Clayton is the closest I had seen.

[Rekdiver]

Spurlock.....

[KentHogan]

I remember Sam Gibson, Steven Spurlock and Ben Miller during my time. That was a pretty decent front court, I believe the guards on that team were Kemp Phillips and Rodney Peel.
They use to battle those great ETSU teams with Les Robinson

[WASU 93]

Spurlock.....

They were not as talented as this year's team by any means, but the 90-91 Mountaineers had 5 frontcourt players average in double figures:

Steve Spurlock 18.6 ppg 7.7 reb. Jr.
Tim Powers 13.2 ppg 8.1 reb. Jr.
Billy Ross 12.5 ppg 3.2 reb So.
Broderick Parker 13.4 ppg 5.7 reb Jr.
Ricky Nedd 11.6 ppg 6.1 reb Fr.

But, the team was just 16-14 and 7-7 in the SoCon.

Strangely, that was the best individual scoring seasons for Spurlock, Powers, Parker and Nedd. (Parker didn't return for his senior year)/ Ross would go on to average 24.4 points per game in 92-93, his senior season.

[Saint3333]

That team was one of my first memories as an App fan, good times, thanks for bringing those names up!