Greater Columbus Basketball Legend Association
2014 GCBLA INDUCTEE
COLUMBUS, OHIO
Category: Basketball Teams
2014 GCBLA inductee
SOUTH HIGH 1965 STATE CHAMPIONS
Recognition
The 1965 Bulldog basketball team brought South High School its first state championship. Coach John Colmery’s “First Six” were so interchangeable that is was nearly impossible to name a set starting five players. The “First Six” were: Bill Bullock, Roger Harper, Joe Hayes, Marion “Spi- der” Iverson, Lloyd Pate and Mel Thompson. Other team members: Dan Hoffman, Bo Monford, Ron Nincehelser, Jim Wilson, Harold Russell, John Cordell, student coach Ken Lee, senior manager Eli Sellers, manager Tim Shaner.
Considered to be undersized by basketball standards, these Bulldogs compensated with speed, tenacity and a leaping ability that was beyond belief. Finishing 11-1 in the City League and 23-1 overall the South Bulldogs collected much hardware in 1965 including: City League title (shared with Linden and West), District Championship, Regional Championship and the State of Ohio AA Championship. In the title game, South faced a highly favored Cincinnati St. Xavier basketball team that had a huge height advantage at every position, yet the Bulldogs prevailed 54-53 in a highly competitive game at St. John Arena on the OSU campus.