1972 Newton County
From 8-26-14
There was a time when a Region Championship was almost an unattainable-goal for a Newton Co. boys basketball team! But, with the success the Rams had over the past 13 years, there was no ceiling on their goals for the season! The Ram teams had been continually ranked in the Top 10 for the prior 11 years! Almost all of the teams' senior starters, except for three, had received college basketball scholarships. Two of those three went on to very successful medical careers!
There had been 9 Region Championships in 11 yrs., & an outstanding average over a 13-yr. period of 27 wins,only 3 losses, & 31 different team championships! So, even with the graduation of the 1971 team that won the Region Championship & finished 4th in the state's final Top 10 rankings, the Newton fans had grown confident in their expectations for another great team! When the Rams lost all-region & all-state player, Clay Summers (& his 20 ppg. avg, who had signed a basketball scholarship to Georgia Tech), the fans knew that void would provide opportunities for other players who had been "waiting their turn"! We also knew we would need someone to fill the void left by Stuart Clive, who was one of the best playmakers in Newton history. (When a senior graduated with all his awards, jackets, patches, etc., there was always a young player such as a Scott Price, Greg Christian, or Carl Stevenson, anxious to step in & take advantage of that opportunity!). With Sr. Donnie Freeman returning for the '71 season, everyone knew he was a proven-product! In the previous year, Donnie averaged 15.3 ppg, & had 12 rpg., as he garnered All-State, All-region, & the Region 6AAA MVP awards, in one of the toughest a Regions in the state! Steady Kevin Price was a proven star, as he had been a starter the previous 2 years & averaged 15 ppg & earned all-region honors. Neal Dickerson was returning & was experienced enough as a ball-handler to run the Ram offense. The schedule was virtually the same as in 1971, which drew turn-away crowds! Local sportswriter, Bob Greer, was already predicting a record 9th straight appearance for the Rams in the state tournament. After a grueling spring practice, the summer 1-on-1 program, & all the fall workouts, the curtain was ready to open on the 1972 NCHS Rams basketball season! (picture & comments of 1972)---to be continued
