Hunt Co., TX - Schools - Celeste Boys' Basketball *********************************************** This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: "Sarah Swindell" Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm *********************************************** FRANKSTON TOO HOT Celeste Eliminated, 71-52 Herald Banner Special Austin--The Celeste Blue Devils of Northeast Texas bowed out of the 44th Annual State Schoolboy basketball tournament here Thursday morning, losing a Class B quarterfinals game to Frankston's Indians, 71-52. Frankston, representing the East Texas region in the Class B division of the tournament and state champion in 1961, had little trouble with Celeste. The Indians were superior in height and clicked of a hot .53 per cent shooting from the field to rip the Region 3 champion Blue Devils. Jimmy Moore, a 6-5 jumping-jack from Frankston, dominated the boards in rebounding and joined by teammates, won this department over Celeste, 48-29. Joe Tillerson, Celeste's top all-around player and tallest member on the squad at 6-2, stayed close to Moore in rebounding and led both teams in scoring with his 27 points. Tillerson had nine rebounds and Moore pulled down 12. But Moore had more help from his tall teammates. Therefore, Celeste usually just got one shot at the basket. In addition to having a cold morning from the field (the game was played at 8:45 a.m.) rebounding probably accounted for Celeste's below-par shooting accuracy of .37 per cent. Celeste led only once in the game. That was a 2-0 first basket counter. Frankston tied it up quickly at 2-2 and again at 4-4 and then started the drive home. By the end of the first period, Frankston led 24-13 as Moore, Larry Cook, and Roger House poured in the points. The Indians stormed to a 38-18 half-time lead as Tillerson was the only Celeste player able to crack the basket. He got two field goals in the second period and David Pruitt sank a free throw. Tillerson got in foul trouble in the first half and picked up his fourth foul on the first play of the third quarter. However, he didn't foul out of the game, but had to slow his pace. Frankston had a 34-point lead, 69-35, with four minutes left in the game. Celeste caught fire as Ronnie Clinton, Lloyd Lanier, and Tillerson began to hit. But it was too late then. The Blue Devils could only narrow the margin to 19 points by the end of the game. The loss eliminated Celeste from the state tournament, which started with top six Class B teams in the state vying for the championship. Celeste ended an outstanding season of 33 victories and eight losses. Coach G. W. Tillerson and his Blue Devils will, however, remain in Austin for the remainder of the tournament. CELESTE FG FT REB PF TP Pruitt 3 3 5 4 9 Lanier 3 0 0 1 6 Tillerson 10 7 9 4 27 Roach 1 0 5 3 2 Weatherley 2 0 1 1 4 Clinton 2 0 1 0 4 Hackney 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 21 10 29 14 52 Frankston Cook 9 0 6 2 18 Vermillion 5 2 9 1 12 Moore 11 3 12 1 25 Fitzgerald 0 2 3 1 2 House 6 2 6 2 14 Smith, G 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 31 9 48 11 71 (I believe Frankston went on the win the Class B Championship that year. Undated Greenville Herald Banner clipping submitted by Bud Roach. As these clippings indicated, this was the first boys' team to travel to Austin. It has not been repeated. There is a trophy donated to the school by the players to replace the one lost in the school fire. It was donated after teammate Jerry Weatherley died. That trophy should be displayed proudly!)