Big, balanced and too much Grandma in 1980s battle

ASHLAND, Ky. – Too big, too balanced and … Great Scott!!!

The 1980-84 Tomcats put six players in double figures and dominated inside for a 92-76 victory over the 1985-89 Tomcats in the first of a best-of-3 series Friday afternoon at Anderson gym.

Jeff Tipton and Chuck Cantrell both had double-doubles and the 80-84 Tomcats broke free from a tight game in the first quarter to build a 29-19 lead.

Tipton had 13 points and 14 rebounds and Cantrell 13 points and 10 rebounds. Greg McCauley had 15 points, Doug Smith 14, Jon Webb 12 and Jerry Farrow 10 for a team that didn’t have to look far for scoring.

“Tip and Cantrell are hard to handle,” said 80-84 coach Ernie Simpson. “Those guys are bangers. Greg did his thing too. Fifteen points and seven assists? He’s a freak out there.”

The 85-89 team was formidable and took a 36-35 lead when Mark Salyers went on a personal 6-0 run, including a pair of free throws. Those Tomcats were 10 for 10 at the foul line for the game. The game remained tight and the 1985-89 Tomcats trailed 42-41 after Jerry Johnson laid in a basket among the trees. They trailed 45-41 at the half.

“I thought we were in good shape,” said 85-89 coach Craynor Slone. “They jumped out on us in the third quarter but we toughened up on them. Everybody was feeling good at the half.”

But something, uh, strange happened to start the second half.

Charlie Scott, who played sparingly in the first half for the 80-84 team, came out dressed in his Grandma costume and put on a show while warming up much to the delight of the 2,500 who had come to Anderson gym. It was learned later that Scott took a dare from Bill Bradley about wearing the Grandma Gear. Bradley now has to give him unlimited hamburgers and hot dogs at all future CLEM events.

Bradley was awed that he met the dare. “I bow down to my man,” he said. “He can eat all he wants at our CLEM this year and every year.” The 39^th annual CLEM – an Ashland tradition – will be played in August (virus or not).

“I didn’t know what Charlie was doing,” Simpson said. “He said he had to go to the bathroom and then, the next thing I know, he’s out here warming up in that Grandma outfit. I thought, if he’ll do that, I’ll play him!”

Scott scored all five of his points in the first two minutes before coming out and exiting to the bench. He never got back in the game.

“What in the world was that all about?” asked Shawn Conley. “And how did he jump so high with that dress on?’

The stunned 85-89 Tomcats never recovered from Scott’s spark. The 80-84 team outscored them 29-14 and built a lead of as much as 21 points in the third quarter. It was all but over.

Dew Foley, who scored 16, tried to rally the 85-89 Tomcats with some dazzling inside moves against the giant frontline. Jason Williams scored 14 but was only 7-of-22 shooting while Rece Ryan scored 13 and Johnson had 10.

Slone said besides Scott’s “sideshow,” the difference in the game may have come at the foul line. While the 85-89 Tomcats were 10 of 10 the 80-84 Tomcats made 19 of 27.

“They got to the line a few more times than us,” he said. “It happens. They were the aggressor tonight and if we don’t become that tomorrow, we’ll be going home early.”

Simpson said Scott wasn’t the most unusual thing that happened in the game.

“Tip and Jamie Stewart hit 3-pointers,” he said. “That’s like Haley’s Comet coming twice in the same day.”

The 80-84 team was deadly from behind the arc, hitting 7 of 15 triples.

“Practice makes perfect,” Simpson said. “I need to go find Charlie. Has anybody seen him?”

Scott was in the lobby buying hot dogs for about two dozen kids he had gathered up who circled around him.

“Listen to me! Listen to me!” he said. “Grandma said you all need to be in church on Sunday. Am I going to see you there?”

“YESSSSSSS!!!!!!” they screamed back.

With that Charlie nodded his head in the direction of Cal Bradley, who nodded back and applauded his friend.

Game 2 will be Saturday night.

1985-89 ASHLAND (76) – Foley 5-10 5-5 16, Salyers 2-6 2-2 6, Conley 3-6 0-0 6, Johnson 4-9 2-2 10, Williams 7-22 0-0 14, Ryan 5-9 1-1 13, Gifford 1-2 0-0 2, McKenzie 2-5 909 5, McCallister 0-4 0-0 0, Avila 2-4 0-0 4. FG: 31-77. FT: 10-10. 3FG: 4-12 (Foley 1-2, Salyers 0-2, Conley 0-1, Ryan 2-4, McKenzie 1-2, McCallister 0-1). Rebounds: 37 (Foley 3, Salyers 3, Conley 5, Johnson 10, Ryan 3, Gifford 2, McKenzie 2, McCallister 1, Avila 6). Assists: 20 (Foley 3, Salyers 4, Conley 8, Johnson 1, Williams 2, McCallister 2). PF: 23. Turnovers: 14.

1980-84 ASHLAND (92) – McCauley 3-6 3-4 15, Smith 5-9 2-2 14, Webb 5-12 1-1 12, Cantrell 5-7 3-4 13, Tipton 4-13 5-8 13, Stewart 1-2 0-0 3, Farrow 3-7 2-2 10, Conley 2-6 0-0 5, Daniel 1-2 0-0 2, Crank 0-4 0-0 0, Scott 1-1 3-6 5. FG: 33-72. FT: 19-27. 3FG: 7-15 (Smith 2-3, Webb 1-5, Tipton 1-1, Stewart 2-3, Farrow 1-3). Rebounds: 44 (Smith 3, Webb 2, Cantrell 10, Tipton 14, Stewart 5, Daniel 6, Crank 2, Scott 2). PF: 16. Turnovers: 16.

1985-89 ASHLAND       19         22         14         21       –         76

1980-84 ASHLAND       29         16         29         18       –         92