Thirty years later, South Wildcats still No. 1


WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Mark Banks, junior guard: Lives in Springfield and works at Moyno/Robbins & Meyers.

Darryl Bego, junior guard: Lives in Charlotte, N.C., and is president of Youth Development Initiatives.

Thaddius Boyd, senior forward: Lives in Columbus and works at Chase Bank.

Jesse Bray, junior guard: Lives in Springfield and is currently attending Clark State.

Karlton Clayborne, senior forward: Lives in Springfield and is the men's basketball coach and an academic adviser at Clark State.

Brian Daniel, junior guard: Passed away in 2001.

Jayson Gee, senior guard: Is the head coach of the Division I Longwood University men's basketball team in Farmville, Va.

Robbie Jackson, junior center: Lives in Gallipolis, operator for Ohio Valley Electric Company.

Darin Johnson, junior guard: Lives in Winston-Salem, N.C., and works as a general foreman for a construction company.

Dillard Leslie, senior forward: Lives in Springfield and works at Dole Food Company.

Keith Mills, senior guard: Lives in Albuquerque, N.M., and is a general education specialist; retired from the U.S. Air Force.

Buss Smith, junior guard: Lives in Springfield and works at Eby-Brown.

Springfield South 1983-84 results

1-0 Middletown     80-59

2-0 Colonel White 84-67

3-0 Meadowdale   60-59

4-0 Xenia                67-63

5-0 Hamilton         96-79

6-0 Tecumseh       90-45

7-0 Stebbins          75-63

8-0 Urbana         104-58

9-0 Greenon         81-58

10-0 Fairborn      84-55

11-0 Patterson     83-76 OT

12-0 North           90-52

13-0 Fairmont     79-62

14-0 Middletown 76-67

15-0 Carroll          79-59

16-0 Wapakoneta 80-57

17-0 Centerville    81-65

18-0 Beavercreek 64-53

19-0 Shawnee       73-64

20-0 Wayne          72-56

21-0 Piqua             84-49 (sectional tournament)

22-0 Wayne          65-52 (sectional tournament)

23-0 Meadowdale 66-62 (sectional final)

23-1 Cin. Woodward 65-57 (district final)

Springfield has seen its share of basketball success. The boys brought home state championships in 1925 and 1950. The North girls claimed the state title in 1977. And four other teams reached the state tournament.

Springfield’s biggest basketball victory, though, happened 30 years ago this season. That’s when the 1983-84 South Wildcats boys won the hearts of Springfield — and nearly all of Clark County — with a smothering style that left a lasting impression on fellow classmates, teachers and staff, the surrounding community and, of course, their opponents.

A season that started out with a victory over powerhouse Middletown — and future Pro Football Hall of Famer Cris Carter — ended with a rout of Wayne to cap a 20-0 regular season. The Associated Press crowned South state poll champion, the city’s first. The town crowned them as perhaps its most beloved team.

The group — coached by legendary Wayne Wiseman with irreplaceable support from athletic director and former coach Duane Baker — gathered Friday night at Springfield High School as the newest members of the school’s Hall of Fame.

“That year I don’t think it could have gotten any better,” said Thaddius Boyd, a senior forward on the team. “It’s been 30 years and it seems like it was yesterday. Each player taught me something, and they each had something in their game that made me better.”

The season ended prematurely with a loss to Cincinnati Woodward in the AAA district championship. The players traded stories — and a few tears — in an emotional reunion after Friday’s game.

They talked about how Buss Smith keeps his phone number listed so his teammates can call if they ever need anything. They talked about Robbie Jackson accepting a 4-year-old fan’s birthday wish to have “Wobbie Jackson,” as the youngster pronounced it, at his party. Jackson went, eating cake and ice cream surrounded by about 15 4-year-olds.

They talked about how the district’s bus drivers would argue about who got the honor of driving them to their games. They talked about the Spirit Club, a group of about 75 students that followed them home and away, that inspired buttons with their rousing “Who ‘dat? Who ‘dat? Who dat say ‘dey gonna beat ‘dose Cats?” cheer.

They talked about how there were stars, but no egos, on one of Springfield’s greatest teams.

“We all chose to be part of something special instead of being a star somewhere else,” said Darryl Bego.

Driven to success

Jayson Gee, Karlton Clayborne and Darin Johnson were returning starters from the team that went 15-7 the season before. During the summer of 1983 Gee made sure they were driven to succeed. He would pick up teammates in his van to play at courts around the city and wherever there was an open gym.

“It was kind of like Scooby Doo’s Mystery Van,” guard and super sub Mark Banks said of Gee’s ride. “We came up with two bucks apiece which got us close to a half a tank. We would pile up in the van.”

A team road trip to Windy Gap, N.C., also paid off. Assistant coach Jim Scoby took the team to a Young Life basketball camp for seven days of physical, emotional and spiritual bonding. They left Springfield as teammates and returned as a team. They also won the camp championship.

Dream season

South opened the 1983-84 season with an 80-59 victory over Middletown, a team returning four starters from a state semifinal appearance. Almost as cherished as the win was holding Cris Carter to 16 points.

The Wildcats survived Meadowdale’s half-court shot that bounced off the rim at the buzzer for a 60-59 victory and win No. 3. A game later, Xenia had South down 14-4 before the ‘Cats escaped with a 67-63 win.

They beat Urbana 104-58 to go 8-0, prompting Hillclimbers coach Tom Eibel to say after the game: “We average 58 points a game. That’s terrible to get your average and lose by 46.”

A showdown with undefeated Greenon started early. Gee, Clayborne and Banks all received phone calls that afternoon where an unknown caller shouted “Greenon! Greenon! Greenon!” into the phone and hung up. South won 81-58.

A second win over Middletown, this one 76-67, moved them to 14-0.

South beat Centerville 81-65 for win No. 17. That same night top-ranked Canton McKinley lost 80-73 to Cleveland St. Joseph. Two days later the Wildcats took over the top spot in the AP poll, the first time a City school accomplished that.

A week later South claimed the Western Ohio League title with a 64-53 win against Beavercreek.

Win No. 20 came against Wayne, 72-56. Wayne coach Tony Vendova, so impressed with the Wildcats for their sportsmanship as much as their talent, presented them with the game ball in the South locker room. “I wanted to beat them tonight so bad I could taste it,” Vendova told the Springfield News-Sun. “But even if we would have beaten them I would have had mixed emotions. … (Wiseman), those super kids — they deserve this as much as any team I’ve ever coached against.”

The AP poll championship followed a few days later. South received 270 votes in the final poll to outdistance runner-up Canton McKinley's 205.

Postseason pressure

By most accounts, South was a different team in the postseason. Feeling the pressure to win it all and keep that undefeated season going, the Wildcats played tight. The first three games went according to script with wins against Piqua (84-49), Wayne (65-52) and Meadowdale (66-62).

But something wasn’t quite right. The Wildcats felt the pressure of carrying the No. 1 ranking and proving it in the postseason.

“We were playing not to lose,” said Clayborne, a standout senior forward. “As young men we didn’t understand. We weren’t going out to play to win.”

South’s season came to a premature end with a 65-57 loss to Woodward in front of about 9,000 fans. South trailed 48-47 with five minutes left. For the first time all season they couldn’t complete the comeback.

“Early on in the year we dominated so much that I think we felt like we can always reach down and find it when we needed it. That night we couldn’t,” assistant coach Scoby said.

“It took awhile to get over that,” junior center Robbie Jackson said. “It still hurt because you put so much into it. Just to see my senior teammates and not be able to close it out for them.”

Coach Wiseman told the News-Sun of the loss: “The only thing I can think of that’s worse than this would be death.”

A couple weeks later McKinley claimed the AAA state championship with a 79-75 overtime victory over Dunbar.

Falling short of state was a crushing blow to the state poll champions. But what they had accomplished that season — the friendships and bonds they formed along the way and the positive impact they had on the community — secured their place as champions in Clark County.

"Grace," Scoby said. "It was a team God gave to this town. They represented grace."

Place in history

The 1983-84 Wildcats are remembered for their actions off the court as much as their efforts on it. Teacher Donna Field remembers Gee wondering aloud why the county-wide following was so invested in the team. Field told him because of the way they represented themselves.

“I don’t think you would find this in today’s society. These kids were so willing to give,” Field said.

Mark Banks said the players focused on being good citizens in the community. Not everyone appreciated it, though. With a smile, Banks recalled girlfriends inviting the players over when the parents were away.

“We would come over and the only thing we were really into was what they had to eat in the refrigerator as far as the free pop, cold cuts,” Banks said. “We were so down to earth. We had a unique bond from the get go.”

Will there ever be another team that captures the county’s attention like the 1983-84 Wildcats?

“Ever is a long time,” Baker said. “It’s going to be awhile because these kids were so special and the community thought so much of them. … It was a great experience for the city .”

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