FOREST PARK PANTHERS
1950’s

The 1950’s began with high hopes. Forest Park had joined District 4-B (East) in the late 1940’s and were coming off a moderately successful campaign. The Panthers trounced Jonesboro 47-32 in the 1949 district opener at LaGrange before losing to Newnan in the second round. The team did well in the first half of the 1950’s, then slipped to sub par results to close the decade. The school had a fine collection of athletes in the early years who could play several sports. Charley Griswell, the star of the 1951 state championship football team, was also a four-year starter on the hardwood. Known as a football powerhouse throughout the decade, the Panther basketball squad featured gridiron stars Lamar Shields, Ray Bryant, Larry Foster, Donald Cook, and Ed Loving.

The first team of the decade did exceptionally well against other 4-B teams, losing only to Jackson and Austell in league play. Behind the strong performances of James Bell, Robert Terrell, Charley Griswell, and Gene Trammell, the Panthers claimed convincing wins over Fayetteville, Carrollton, Hampton, and North Clayton. Hosting the 1950 sub district tournament, the Panthers opened with nemesis Jackson, losing 36-22 to the Red Devils. They demolished Zebulon in the consolation round 66-43 to take third in the circuit.

The 1951 Panthers did not win many games. Griswell and Trammell returned to the starting lineup and were joined by Gary Willingham and Jerry Blalock. The team had difficulty on the offensive end of the court with game scores running in the 20’s. In fact, a 37-31 loss to Mableton in January was the highest point total of the year. Forest Park split with Jonesboro, losing in overtime 27-25 on the road and prevailing 25-20 at home. Again, Jackson downed the Panthers in the sub district, edging the host team 29-26 in the first round.

The knack for winning that the football team showed in the fall of 1951 carried over into the 1952 basketball season as Forest Park turned in its best results to date. Furman Trammell, Charley Griswell, Lowell Green, and Gary Willingham led the team to rout after rout. Oddly, the first game took place on December 4, three days before the state championship football game. With most of the team missing, the depleted squad suffered a 48-35 loss to Henry County. When the team finally got all its members, the wins started coming with regularity. The Panthers blitzed North Clayton 40-21, dismantled Henry County 40-19, and breezed by Jonesboro 40-25. In the rematch with the Cardinals at Jonesboro, Lowell Green hit two free throws in overtime for a 28-26 Panther victory. Forest Park opened the 4-B (East) playoffs at Jonesboro with an easy 38-19 romp over North Clayton. Then, for the third straight season, Jackson sent the team packing in the next round. To add insult to injury, archrival Jonesboro, a team the Panthers had swept during the regular season, won the tournament.

Despite having four new starters, the 1953 unit remained competitive. Gary Willingham was back for his senior year, teaming with Mickey Blalock, Lamar Shields, Rodney Kent, and Haskell Thomas in the starting lineup. Notably, the Panthers were vastly improved offensively, routinely scoring in the 50’s and 60’s. One of the most memorable games was a 56-55 win over North Clayton in late January. Rodney Kent had the biggest individual game of the year, amassing 20 points in a 56-51 loss to Marist. The playoffs ended in familiar fashion with a loss to Milner in the second round.

Shields, Thomas, Kent, and Blalock turned in another decent campaign in 1954, staying around .500 for the year. Kent scored at a record pace for the era, topping the 20-point plateau on several occasions. The senior had a school-record 26 in a 64-42 win over Fayette County at home in January to avenge a previous loss in Fayetteville.

With seniors Mickey Blalock and Lamar Shields back for a third year, the 1955 team stood a chance to do well. Ray Bryant, the school’s star quarterback, also made his impact with a basketball. Just as in previous years, the Panthers hung tough, but fell to the top teams. Jackson once again finished off the host Panthers in the district tournament.

The boys’ teams in the middle of the decade took a dive. The school’s athletes, who continued to excel on the gridiron, could not hold their own in the gym. Not only did the Panthers lose, they went down by horrific margins. Jackson slaughtered Forest Park 69-23 to finish off the 1956 campaign and Milner annihilated the Panthers 86-32 in the 1957 season-ender.

The team started to come out of the doldrums in 1958, but they still struggled to score enough points to win most games. Fresh off a trip to the state championship game in football, the Panthers pulled off an epic upset, stopping Class AAA Fulton 31-27 in the season opener. Don Bryan scored 16 in a 36-29 win over heavily-favored Henry County to mark another highlight. The 1959 season got off to a late start due to football and the team never recovered. Larry Foster, Ed Loving, Darrell Thomas, and Donald Cook had run roughshod over opponents on the football field, but were humbled night after night on the court.

1960’s

The 1960’s brought many changes for Forest Park basketball. The team opened the era in Class A, then moved up to AA for the 1961 and 1962 seasons before finishing the decade in Class AAA, the state’s highest classification. Forest Park had three head coaches over the period. Allen Johnson led the team through 1962, Fred Dean had the squad for four seasons, and Doug Cobb took over in 1967. Also, the Panthers moved into their new gym on December 18, 1962, dedicating the facility with a 62-58 victory over Druid Hills.

The Panthers started the decade slowly, then finished the era with some of the strongest teams in the area. Sophomores Pasco Tilson (a 6’4” center) and Hugh Gibbon led the 1960 team to a record slightly better than .500. Defense was the key to success with most scores in the 30-40 point range. The highest point tally of the year was 57 against North Clayton.

Forest Park then joined Region 2-AA in 1961. Sophomore Randy Smith combined with juniors Tilson and Gibbon to lead the team to another winning season. The lanky Tilson had three 20-rebound games including 31 against county rival Jonesboro. The Panthers claimed the school’s first tournament championship with a 48-47 win over host Campbell-Fairburn in the Flint River Invitational in January. They got by Henry County to open the 2-AA (South) tournament at Newnan, but were ousted by region favorite Troup County in the second round.

Coach Johnson returned a veteran unit in 1962 to compete for the 2-AA crown. “Big Pasco” Tilson hit for 20 on most nights and was joined by Hugh Gibbon, Randy Smith, and Billy Loving in the starting lineup. The Panthers proved they were the county’s best team by posting two wins each over Jonesboro and North Clayton. Three losses to Newnan by five points or less proved to be the team’s downfall. The Cougars put Forest Park out of the region tournament at Campbell in the first round. Tilson had 17 points in the final game of his stellar career.

Fred Dean came on board in 1963, inheriting a new gym and a new region. The Panthers were able to hold their own against Druid Hills, Cross Keys, Gordon, Briarcliff, and the other new opponents on the schedule, posting a 13-13 slate. Newcomers Eddie Sigmon, Charles Hodges, and Allen Sloan combined with veterans Smith and Loving to make a quality starting five. By mid-January, the Panthers had already recorded huge upset wins over Griffin, Southwest DeKalb, and Druid Hills. They finished the regular season with a 15-point win over Gordon, but were shocked by the same team six days later to open the region tournament. Gordon’s Ronnie Nunnally hit a 30-footer at the buzzer to send the Panthers home with a 61-59 loss. Forest Park had led the game handily until Hodges fouled out in the fourth. Sigmon and Smith led the team in scoring with averages in the low double digits.

With Sigmon and Hodges returning for the 1964 campaign, the team appeared to be poised to make a run at the 4-AAA title. The Panthers never got in sync, however, dropping their first eleven games on the way to a 2-21 finish. Charlie Roberts, author of the AJC’s “Prep Parade” column, noted that Sigmon and Hodges were “the best players on losing teams in the area.” Sigmon averaged 17.2 and Hodges 13.1 to keep opponents from taking the team for granted. The best game of the year came against region power Avondale. Forest Park led for most of the game until the Devils eased ahead 62-60 at the end. A loss to R.E. Lee to open the 4-AAA tournament at Briarcliff brought a merciful end to the season.

Charles Hodges returned for his senior year in 1965, teaming with Ronnie Stroup, Kenneth Prock, Johnny Stover, and Warren Vaughn in the starting cast. Coach Dean saw a modest improvement in the win column, finishing the year 6-15. The Panthers dropped three games to the Jonesboro Cardinals who repeated as unofficial county champions. A 42-36 opening round loss to Southwest DeKalb at Towers in the 4-AAA tournament ended the season.

Dean’s last year proved to be pivotal for Forest Park basketball. The team more than doubled the win total from the previous season and did so with a mixture of seniors and younger players. Turning the corner in 1966, the Panthers became the county’s premier basketball power and maintained their preeminence for over a decade to come. Three juniors played a huge role in reversing the fortunes of the team. Tom Richardson, a slender 6’5” center, along with guards Steve Kator and Jimmy Higginbotham, were the backbone of the team. Seniors Warren Vaughn, Kenneth Prock, and Tommy Mullenix made a strong six-man rotation. The 81-77 win over Jonesboro in February was significant in that it served notice that the balance of power in the county was shifting. Higginbotham had 24 in the overtime victory. Richardson’s 25 led a 96-55 thrashing of Walker on February 11 as the team set a new record for points in a game. Forest Park won its first game in the region tournament 69-64 over Lakeside at Briarcliff before bowing out in the next round. It was the first post season victory since 1961. Dean resigned after the season to become an assistant principal at Babb Junior High.

Doug Cobb moved from Henry County to lead Forest Park into the 1967 season and immediately took the Panthers to the highest level of success the school had ever seen. With senior stars Richardson, Kator, and Higginbotham leading the way, the Panthers were the class of the county. Still, the squad was not invincible. A three-point loss to Griffin in the finals of the Flint River Invitational gave the team a record of 11-3 going into January. Then, four losses in a five-game span burst the Panther bubble. Forest Park rallied for six straight wins to end the regular season. The 48-45 triumph over Jonesboro on February 7 was the 18th of the year, a new school record. The stirring 63-61 win over eighth-ranked Griffin in the season finale gave the team the magic number 20. Then, reminiscent of the past, the team crashed in the post season. Southwest High of Atlanta eased by Forest Park 58-47 in the region opener at Fulton High to end the season with a 20-8 mark.

Richardson left Forest Park with the best personal statistics ever compiled by a Panther. His 484 points (17.3) and 331 rebounds (11.8) caught the attention of college scouts. He signed with the University of Tulsa in April. Kator was second in scoring and received a scholarship to Georgia Military College.

Despite the losses to graduation, good times were just beginning for the Panthers. The 1968 Forest Park five topped the previous season’s win total and secured a state playoff berth for the first time ever. Starters Mike Orr, Jerry Stubbs, George Christian, Ricky Cole, and Eddie Creech could all be relied on to score, each finishing with over 200 points. Yet, the key to success for this team was defense. The 1968 Panthers allowed an incredibly low 47.3 points per game.

Forest Park began the 1968 campaign with a tough overtime loss to non-region Campbell. Coach Cobb’s Panthers then took 12 of 13 games, losing only to Milner in the Flint River Tournament at Jonesboro. Forest Park was undefeated in the region until Griffin paid a visit on January 19 and claimed a 54-51 win in overtime. With two 3-AAA contests remaining against state-ranked R.E. Lee, the loss brought much worry for the team’s ultimate chances. Those fears proved unfounded. Forest Park entertained the 18-1 Rebels on February 9, handling them easily 54-40. Still, the team had to survive a very tough region tournament to advance.

The 3-AAA tournament began at Sylvan with Forest Park ousting Grady and Washington in the preliminaries. The event then shifted to Georgia Tech for the semifinal and final rounds. The Panthers’ second victory of the year over R.E. Lee guaranteed a state playoff spot and sent the Rebels home with a 21-3 record. Turner High took the region final 49-43 the following night. The state playoff experience did not last long as Albany prevailed 66-54 in the opener to end Forest Park’s season at 21-7. With Creech, Stubbs, Cole, and a 6’8” rising sophomore at the ready, the sky was the limit for the upcoming season.

Living up to preseason hype, the 1969 squad blew away all comers on the way to a 22-0 start. No Region 7-AAA opponent was able to stay within 15 points of the Panthers throughout the streak. Columbia and Jonesboro fell by 30, Southwest DeKalb went down by 25, Walker lost by 50, and even powerhouse Griffin dropped a 15-point decision to the soaring Panthers. The AJC acknowledged Forest Park’s dominance with a #1 ranking on February 7, the first such honor ever bestowed on a Clayton team. Columbia even tried a desperate stall to keep the rematch closer, but wound up on the short end of a strange 34-8 score. The first setback of the year did not come until the last game of the regular season at Griffin. The Eagles’ 58-56 double overtime upset sent the now vulnerable Panthers into the region tournament with a record of 22-1.

The 7-AAA tournament began at Clarkston with Forest Park destroying the host 53-30. Southwest DeKalb likewise went out without much of a fight. The Griffin Eagles proved up to the challenge in the region final, taking their second win over Forest Park by the score of 54-53. State tournament play began on March 1 at Briarcliff. Ricky Cole scored 22 and Eddie Creech 20 to lead Forest Park to a 69-68 win. The tournament then switched to Georgia Tech where the Panthers had little trouble with Dalton to qualify for the Final Four. Carver claimed the semifinal 65-50 and, after a consolation loss to Price, the season came to a close with a 26-4 record.

Once again, defense was the key to success in 1969. Opponents had a hard time scoring against the constant defensive pressure. With 6’8” sophomore center Rocky Davis under the boards, teams rarely got more than one shot per possession. As a result, the Panthers allowed a scant 44.5 points per game. Forest Park, on the other hand, got steady offensive production from senior guards Creech and Stubbs who averaged 16.0 and 14.6 respectively. Cole and Davis contributed about ten each. Creech and Stubbs both made the AAA all-tournament team and Creech was later selected to the Georgia All-Star game.

TEAM LEADERS OF THE 1960’S
1960: Dave Brown and Hugh Gibbon
1961: Pasco Tilson and Hugh Gibbon
1962: Pasco Tilson and Hugh Gibbon
1963: Randy Smith and Charles Hodges
1964: Eddie Sigmon (17.2) and Hodges
1965: Hodges and Johnny Stover
1966: Tom Richardson and Warren Vaughn
1967: Richardson (17.3) and Steve Kator
1968: Mike Orr (15.1) and Jerry Stubbs
1969: Eddie Creech (16.0) and Stubbs

1970’s

Forest Park continued to dominate the county into the 1970’s. The Panthers posted 19 or more wins six times during the ten-year stretch and took three region titles along the way. Even more impressively, the team accomplished this despite four coaching changes. Doug Cobb was followed by Don Campbell, Larry Cart, and Rick Duncan.

Cobb’s 1970 squad was one of the best teams ever fielded by a Clayton school. Led by junior center Rocky Davis (20.9 ppg and 11.0 rpg) and senior guard Butch Bell, they won their first 25 games and were ranked first in the state for most of the season. They routed Clarkston by twenty in the 7-AAA championship game despite playing without Davis who was out for the season with a collapsed lung. The streak ended in the first round of the state tournament with an overtime loss to Druid Hills. However, with Davis and Mike Gladden (10.3 ppg) returning, the prospects were great for another trip to state.

The Panthers moved to Region 6-AAA in 1971, but the wins kept coming nonetheless. After an early season upset by Price, Forest Park rolled off 19 straight wins and again captured the top spot in the AJC poll. The game that secured the number one ranking was an 84-79 victory over highly-touted Newton County. The Rams had the last laugh, however, taking the region title game by three in overtime. Forest Park won one game in the 1971 state playoffs over Douglass before falling to Savannah, finishing the year at 23-4. Rocky Davis capped a stellar career by averaging 20.6 points and was rewarded with a spot on the Georgia All-Star team and a scholarship to Georgia Tech. He wrapped up his prep career with 1351 points to break Tom Richardson’s four-year-old school record. Mike Gladden was second on the team in scoring at 12.7.

Doug Cobb faced a rebuilding year in 1972. In addition to losing Davis and Gladden, the team would be without starters Gerald Cunningham and Darnell Dodson. In fact, 92% of the offensive production from 1971 was lost to graduation. Still, the Panthers found a way to return to the state tournament for the fifth straight year, going 22-5 with three losses to region champion Newton County.

Senior Mike Kirk, who had seen little action in two varsity seasons, burst upon the scene to provide the bulk of the scoring at 19.4 ppg. Guard Willie Finch chipped in 16.1 to pace the Panther offense. The team was 12-0 through mid-January when they faced top-ranked and undefeated Newton County in Covington. Kirk got into foul trouble early and the home team prevailed 58-42. The highlight of the year came in the region semifinal at Morrow against Price. Kirk tallied 44 points in the 83-66 win that guaranteed Forest Park a state tournament berth. The 6’4” forward hit 16 of his 21 shots from the field. The team got past Lakeside before falling to former Forest Park assistant Larry Cart’s Douglass Astros in the second round. The seniors of 1972 left with a career record of 71-10. This would be Coach Cobb’s final season at the Forest Park helm. He finished his six-year career with 137 wins and 29 losses (82.5%) to rank as one of the successful coaches in county history.

Coach Don Campbell took over in 1973 and guided the team to a mediocre 15-11 record. Nevertheless, the Panthers managed to make it back to the state tournament for a sixth straight season. The odds against a return trip were great considering three region schools (Newnan, Newton County, and LaGrange) were all ranked highly in the state polls. Once again, the bulk of the offensive power had departed and the team had to find a scorer. Junior Cordy Glenn filled the role admirably, breaking Kirk’s game scoring record with a 45-point outburst against North Clayton in December. A couple of upsets in the region tournament at Morrow cleared the path for the Panthers who defeated R.E. Lee 48-36 in the semifinal. A five-point loss to LaGrange in the title game proved particularly unfortunate for Forest Park. The first-round opponent at Georgia Tech would be the state’s top-ranked squad, the 24-0 Douglass Astros. The Panthers made a valiant effort before falling 69-60. With starters Glenn, Marty Knox, and Danny Sullivan returning, Campbell would expect his second year to be even better.

True to form, Forest Park soared into the 1974 campaign with 17 wins in the first 20 games, rising to sixth in the AJC state poll. Glenn continued his torrid scoring pace with nineteen 20-point efforts through twenty games. Forest Park captured the 22nd annual (and last) Flint River Tournament in December. The first loss of the year did not come until early January at LaGrange. The region tournament at Morrow did not go as anticipated, however. After an opening win over R.E. Lee, the top-seeded Panthers lost in an upset 64-55 to Rockdale County, the eventual region champions. This would be Campbell’s last game as head coach. Glenn averaged a whopping 24.9 in his senior season to set a new school scoring record that would last eighteen years.

The 1975 season began with former assistant Larry Cart returning from his stint at Douglass to head the team. The ex-Auburn star inherited a team made up mostly of underclassmen, resulting in a rare losing campaign (10-16). Despite the down year, the Panthers boasted two wins each over traditional powers Griffin and Newnan. Senior Willie Ellis led the team in scoring at 12.7 and was followed by junior point guard Mike Cobb at 12.1. Cobb, son of the former coach, and rebounding specialist Tim Cox would return in 1976 to put the Panthers back in the thick of the state title chase.

Many consider the 1976 Panther squad to be the most talented team in school history. A showdown with seventh-ranked Rockdale County in January turned intoan 85-67 Forest Park rout. Steve White, a 6’3” jumping jack, tossed in 25 to lead the Panthers past the Bulldogs for the second time of the season. Accordingly, Forest Park rose to sixth in the state rankings. A 68-63 win over Newton County in late January pushed the team’s record to 16-2 and fourth in the state poll. Hosting the 6-AAA North sub region tournament, Forest Park was the odds-on favorite to win easily in the post season. Newton County pulled off a huge upset in the first round, sending the Panthers home with a final 18-5 slate. Three players averaged in double digits—Mike Cobb (16.6), Tim Cox (14.6), and Joe Malone (10.7) helped account for the team’s 65.1 scoring attack.

Larry Cart returned for one more season and faced the daunting challenge of replacing his entire starting lineup. The 1977 campaign saw the young Panthers manage just seven wins. Junior Malcolm Mitchell, a 6’5” presence in the low post, was the leading player. He scored at a 12.8 per game clip on the way to a first-team all-county nod. Two sophomores who would have a huge impact in the future, Alvin Gray and JoJo Hartsfield, broke into the starting lineup late in the year to gain valuable experience.

Forest Park, led by new mentor Rick Duncan, found its way back to the state tournament in 1978. A trio of all-county players (Anthony Ector, Alvin Gray, and Ricky McCullers) joined Malcolm Mitchell and JoJo Hartsfield to form a potent attack. County MVP Gray, a 6’4” junior, averaged 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Panthers had to face Griffin, a team that had beaten them by ten earlier, to open the sub region tournament. Forest Park trounced Joe Ward and the Bears by 21, then went on to defeat R.E. Lee for the region title. The Panthers lost their first state tournament game 84-82 to Therrell in triple overtime. With Gray and Hartsfield coming back, the Panthers looked forward to a return to Alexander Coliseum.

Duncan’s veteran unit in 1979 did not disappoint. Gray owned the glass, averaging an incredible 17 boards, as the team climbed to third in the state poll. With Hartsfield dishing out ten assists per game, the senior-laden team piled up the wins. A five-point loss to Griffin in December and a two-point loss to Morrow in January were the only setbacks of the regular season. Still, it took a bit of luck to advance in the region tournament at Riverdale. Newton County hit a shot at the buzzer for an apparent upset, but the officials negated the basket. Forest Park then hit seven of eight free throws in overtime to win. Alvin Gray’s 27 in the 6-AAAA final led the team past Heritage 66-58.

The Panthers posted one win in the state tournament before falling to Marietta 60-59. Gray had a five-footer in the lane rim out at the horn to give the game to future NBA star Dale Ellis and company. Forest Park finished 24-3, giving Duncan a two-year record of 43-11 with two region championships in his first tour of duty in the county. He would return to Clayton five years later to lead Jonesboro. Gray, Hartsfield, and Wayne Willis were selected to the all-county team with Gray claiming his second MVP nod.

SEASON SCORING LEADERS
YEAR PLAYER PPG
1970 Rocky Davis 20.9
1971 Rocky Davis 20.6
1972 Mike Kirk 19.4
1973 Cordy Glenn 15.5
1974 Cordy Glenn 24.9
1975 Willie Ellis 12.7
1976 Mike Cobb 16.6
1977 Malcolm Mitchell 12.8
1978 Alvin Gray 14.0
1979 Alvin Gray 15.0

1980’s

Compared to the previous decade, the Panthers of the struggled to remain competitive. Forest Park lost ten or more games each season and had just two winning campaigns—12-11 in 1985 and 14-10 in 1987. The team opened the 1980 season with a new coach, Jamie Felts, who replaced the highly-successful Duncan. Felts stayed three years before giving the team to his assistant Dale Robbins for the next two. Don Hall came on board in 1985 and remained as head coach throughout the decade.

Coach Felts’ tenure at Forest Park began with four straight wins. Russell, Riverdale, Morrow, and North Clayton went down in order to the tradition-rich Panthers. With seniors Terry Binn and Tony Davis returning, the Panthers had visions of a third consecutive region title. Then, the bottom fell out, seven straight losses from which the team never recovered. They gave Newnan, the state’s second-ranked team, a scare for a half in the region tournament at Morrow before losing by eleven to end the year at 9-15. Binn averaged 13.4 and Davis added 13.3 points per game to merit at place on the CND All-County team.

The 1981 squad returned starters Joel Stewart, a 6’7” center, and Scott Haygood. Once again, Felts’ team started strong only to fade down the stretch. A 62-45 win over Russell on January 17 evened the team’s record at 6-6. From there, the Panthers lost nine of their last ten. They made a hasty exit from the region tournament at Riverdale, getting blasted 56-34 by superstar Joe Ward and his eventual champion Griffin Bears in the first round.

The last season under Felts turned into a disaster with the Panthers going winless in the region and 2-20 overall. Two wins over Class A Temple were the only highlights of the campaign. In the twenty losses, only Morrow and Fayette County failed to win by a double digit margin, both claiming nine-point wins. Devastating setbacks to North Clayton by 30, LaGrange by 46, and Newnan by a staggering 53 punctuated the frustration experienced by the 1982 team. Junior Gerald Eason led the team in scoring at 13.7 per game.

Dale Robbins took charge of a program that was desperate for wins, but success would not be in the cards. The 1983 unit matched the futility of the previous season with another 2-20 slate. Senior Gerald Eason had a fantastic year, routinely leading the team in scoring and claiming a spot on the all-county squad. He became the first Panther since Cordy Glenn to top 40 points with a 41-point effort against North Clayton. Another achievement of note was the free throw shooting of Chris Hayes. The senior guard hit 82.4% of his attempts and received honorable mention to the all-county team as a result. Robbins’ team opened the season with a 48-45 win over AA Stockbridge and recorded a region victory over Fayette County by three in late January.

The 1984 season began with promise, but went sour fast. The Panthers won four games (Stockbridge twice, Fayette County, and Heritage) and suffered just one loss (Griffin) through mid-December. The four wins came by a total margin of 13 points. Seventeen losses then came in rapid fashion to end another season in disappointment. By the end of January, Robbins was resorting to slow-down tactics to keep games close. Heritage avenged its earlier loss with a 28-21 win at the Forest Park gym late in the season. Junior LaShae Lowe replace Eason as the team’s leading scorer, averaging 11.0 per game on the way to an all-county nod.

Coach Don Hall moved to Forest Park from R. L. Osborne High and made an immediate impact. With experienced players Lowe and Darryl Binn returning, the Panthers would make great strides in 1985. The season began with a loss to North Clayton to extend the school’s losing streak to 18 games. Then, in the second game, the Panthers shocked the entire state by going to Griffin and thrashing the Bears by fourteen. Before season’s end, the Panthers would also claim upsets over region favorites Newnan and LaGrange. The CND selected both Lowe and Binn to the all-county team to represent the vastly improved 12-11 Panthers.

One of 1985’s wins came over Jonesboro in the strangest set of circumstances imaginable. The game was scheduled for January 11. The Cardinals got 39 points from scoring ace Chris Duncan and won 63-62. However, Hall thought there was a correctable error and protested. Panther guard Perry Sutton was fouled with three seconds remaining and his team in the bonus, but the officials gave Forest Park the ball out of bounds. The GHSA upheld the protest and ordered the teams to replay the final three seconds. For the next three weeks, Sutton shot hundreds of free throws in preparation for his pressure performance scheduled for February 9 at 4 o’clock. No fans were allowed in the Forest Park gym according to GHSA rules. Sutton calmly sank both ends on the one-and-one for a 64-63 lead. Duncan, who had been practicing half-court shots for three weeks, saw his heave carom off the rim at the horn.

Hall’s second team was dominated by underclassmen. Sophomores Andre Sanders and Greg Hicks along with junior Larry Wright suffered the usual growing pains in 1986, finishing 7-15. Senior guard Early White was the only starter with varsity experience. Still, the team was 7-7 through mid-January including two wins over Riverdale and a dramatic two-point win over LaGrange at home to open the second half of the season. Once again, the team took a dive with eight straight losses to close out the year. Hall, known for his intensity during games, broke his right index finger slamming it into his clipboard during a timeout against Fayette County on January 14. His players responded with aa 59-56 come-from-behind win.

The trio of Hicks, Wright, and Sanders made the 1987 unit the best Forest Park team of the 1980’s. The team went 14-10 with two wins over LaGrange and a monumental upset of Newnan. The Panthers played every region opponent close (except Griffin) and stood an excellent chance to advance to the state playoffs as runner-up to the talented Bears. However, Jonesboro stopped Forest Park 52-50 in the opening round of the region tournament at Riverdale to end the season. Hicks, a 6’2” junior, averaged 13.7 and earned a spot on the all-county team.

The high-scoring “GH” combo made the 1988 Panthers an above-average team. Senior Greg Hicks led the team in scoring with 16.6 per game to top the 1000-point mark for his career. Junior forward Greg Hunter supplied 15.2 per game to stake the team to a .500 finish. Senior guard Andre Sanders and junior wing Corey Garrett were capable scorers as well. The Panthers pulled few surprises in 1988. They lost twice to Griffin and Jonesboro while splitting season series with Morrow, LaGrange, and North Clayton. The Panthers swept cellar-dwelling Riverdale and Fayette County. The season ended with a loss to North Clayton in the 6-AAAA tournament at Griffin.

The Panthers ended the 1980’s with another exciting offensive-minded team, only to finish at .500. Hunter returned for his senior year and continued to pump in points, tossing in a career-high 33 in a romp over McIntosh. At season’s end, he became the second Panther in as many years to amass 1000 career points. Classmate Corey Garrett was another scoring threat with three games of 28 points or better. He had 30 in a three-point win at Upson County. Forest Park’s games were amazingly close in 1989. The only region opponent to defeat the Panthers by ten was Griffin with its superstar Darrin Hancock. Hunter and company lasted until the second round of the sub region tournament at Morrow before bowing to Henry County by three.

SEASON SCORING LEADERS
1980 Terry Binn 13.4
1981 Joel Stewart -
1982 Gerald Eason 13.7
1983 Gerald Eason 14.6
1984 LaShae Lowe 11.0
1985 LaShae Lowe 13.0
1986 Todd Buckner 10.3
1987 Greg Hicks 13.7
1988 Greg Hicks 16.6
1989 Greg Hunter -

1990’s

When one thinks of Forest Park basketball in the 1990’s, the first thing that comes to mind is offense. High-scoring, fast-breaking games with players routinely tossing in 30 or more became the norm for Panther basketball during the decade. Led by Corey Johnson, Gary Burton, and Demetrice Williams, the team could usually be counted on to provide a thrilling fast-paced contest. Johnson set new scoring records at the school during his fantastic three-year career at the onset of the 1990’s, taking the team to the state tournament as a junior in 1991. Burton gave the team the ability to beat anyone with his all-round game in the middle years. Williams was the mainstay in the latter years of the decade, guiding the Panthers to the state playoffs again in 1999. Don Hall coached the team through the 1993 season before handing off to assistant coach Lamar Oglesby. The team hovered around the .500 mark for most of the ten-year period, with the 1991 squad posting the best record of the decade at 17-9.

Entering the 1990’s with a team decimated by graduation, Hall knew that he would have to find someone who could score. Two players rose to the occasion. Sophomore Corey Johnson proved to be the prototype point guard—driving to the basket, passing to open players, and leading the fast break. After scoring 25 and 28 against Upson County and Sprayberry early in the year, fans began to take notice of the tenth-grader. Chuck Robinson, the lone returning starter from 1989, was the other offensive threat. The junior shooting guard joined with Johnson to give Forest Park one of the best backcourt tandems in the region. The 1990 team produced mediocre results, however, posting a final 11-10 mark. One of their victims was Riverdale, a team destined for the Final Four. The Panthers won by eleven at Riverdale in the regular season finale. The momentum did not carry into the post season. Morrow ended the Forest Park season in the first round of the sub region.

The Panthers of 1991 continued the offensive surge and even picked it up a notch. With Corey Johnson, Chuck Robinson, Tom Sullivan, and Eric Rowe in the lineup, Coach Hall had four players who could take the ball to the basket with efficiency. Johnson averaged 22.1 to lead the team to the state tournament for the first time since 1979. In a strange twist of fate, the season ended just as it had 13 years earlier with a triple overtime loss. Amazingly, the team was able to go 17-9 and take second in the region even though they did not have a player over 6’2.”

Forest Park rolled through all their opponents in 1991 with the exception of two. Riverdale, ranked number one in the state for most of the year, handed the Panthers three losses, including a 67-53 decision in the region championship game. Likewise, LaGrange, a team that used 22 players to wear down opponents, handed the Panthers three losses including a one-point heartbreaker in the sub region final at Morrow. Losing the game to LaGrange turned out to be in Forest Park’s favor due to Griffin’s upset of Riverdale on the other side. Playing without Darrin Hancock for the first time since 1986, the Bears were beatable and Forest Park sent them packing with a 54-48 decision. Central Macon’s Marcus Grant was too much for the Panthers in the state opener, pouring in 36 in the 80-77 overtime classic. Johnson had 23, Sullivan 20, and Robinson 18 to lead the losing effort.

With the loss of Chuck Robinson and Tom Sullivan, the scoring load for 1992 fell on the capable hands of Corey Johnson and the senior responded in record fashion. Lighting the scoreboard at a 25.5 per game clip, the UGA football scholarship recipient set both school and county scoring records. His 1621 career points (22.8) made him the most prolific scorer in Clayton County history to date. Joining Johnson in the starting five were Eric Rowe, Tracy Cummings, Tony Weems, and Donald Johnson.

The 1992 Panthers were capable of beating any team on a given night. Scoring over 90 twice in the first week of the season, Johnson packed in the fans who wanted to see triple digits on the scoreboard. On the other hand, the Panthers could be shut down, as illustrated by a loss to a below-average Mount Zion team. Gimmick defenses or not, Johnson ended his career on a roll. After recording 42 in the last week of the season against Lovejoy, he brought his days as a Panther to a fitting close with a 50-point explosion against LaGrange in the sub region tournament. The 90-88 loss ended Forest Park’s season in the second round. The CND named Johnson its Clayton Player of the Year, a title he had already earned for football.

Life after Johnson began with a respectable 13-12 record in 1993. Tracy Cummings picked up the offense, gaining a place on the all-county squad for his efforts. Also, first year starter Jamar Geter could be counted on to produce points. Hines Ward, Chris Dean, Brandon Elder, and Franklin Howell completed the team. Unfortunately, the Panthers were in the same sub region with state-ranked Riverdale and Griffin. The Bears, who would win the state championship in March, took two wins over Forest Park by 30-point margins. Similarly, the Raiders smacked the Panthers twice during the regular season. Don Hall resigned at the end of the year, citing health concerns, and was replaced by assistant Lamar Oglesby.

The 1994 edition of Forest Park basketball was one of the few teams in school history to lack a consistent offensive threat. The result was a slip to last place in the sub region standings and a quick exit from the post season. Unlike previous teams, the Panthers did not lack size. Franklin Howell and Brandon Elder (both 6’5” centers with wide bodies) gave the team a big front line. Chris Dean, Hines Ward, Todd Wells, and Telly Clark handled the guard play.

Curiously, the 1994 Panthers were able to compete well with the top teams in the sub region, especially on the road. Forest Park beat defending state champion Griffin 76-74 on a last-second tip-in by Howell and cruised by Riverdale 56-43. Also, the team brought home a trophy in the Stone Mountain Christmas Tournament. A date with the host team had to be cancelled due to icy roads and the championship game was never rescheduled. Showing good sportsmanship, the Pirates sent Forest Park the hardware. The Panthers went cold down the stretch, losing five of the last six regular season games to sink to last place in the standings. Morrow dispatched Forest Park by thirteen in the sub region opener at Mount Zion.

Before the 1995 season was a month old, a sophomore made his presence known on the court. Not projected as a starter, Gary Burton took advantage of the football team going deep in the state playoffs to get instant playing time. By the end of the year, he had established himself as the team’s leader, taking the team to second place in the sub region. He averaged 15.0 points to earn his first of three all-county selections. In addition to Burton, the Panthers featured Brandon Elder, Ernest Grant, Lamar Oglesby, Jr., Telly Clark, and Todd Wells.

The 1995 season got off to a slow start due to the absence of the football players. Six of the top seven players had duties on the gridiron through mid-December. Accordingly, the team lost the first four games by an average deficit of 21 points. A 59-58 win over Mount Zion ended the skid. The Panthers then picked up the pace, showing an uncanny ability to win close games at the wire. Oglesby, the coach’s son, beat Griffin 65-64 with a buzzer-beater on the road and Todd Wells’ basket with five seconds left edged Morrow 54-53. The sub region opener matched the Panthers with Griffin and, once again, Oglesby played the hero. His two free throws at 0:05 sealed the 68-65 win. Riverdale ended the Forest Park season at 14-12 with a 60-45 victory in the second round.

Burton returned for his junior year in 1996, living up to his advance billing and then some. The 6’3” forward slashed his way to the goal with reckless abandon to average 21.0 for the year. Burton was especially adept at drawing fouls, scoring 207 points on an incredible 285 trips to the charity stripe. Senior guards Todd Wells and Cullen Crane, a transfer from Mount Zion, were valuable as well. Also, a freshman made a quick reputation for his ability to score. Demetrice Williams got playing time right away due to the football team’s success and made the most of his opportunity. Despite the promise, the team suffered through a lackluster 9-16 campaign.

Forest Park fans turned out to see Burton and Williams put points on the board, filling the Panther gym night after night. Losses continued to mount, however, as opponents learned how to defense the potent tandem. The biggest win of the 1996 season came against a strong Lovejoy team on the road. Burton had 23 and held Wildcat star Jason Floyd to 12 in the 69-64 Forest Park victory. The season ended on a bad note, however, as Griffin smashed the Panthers by 36 in the sub region opener.

Just how many points would Gary Burton score his senior year? With sophomore Demetrice Williams back to distract defenses, the sky was the limit for the talented forward in 1997. Indeed, Burton lived up to the hype all year, topping 30 points seven times and receiving the coveted title of Clayton Player of the Year. He scored at a 24.5 rate and drove opponents crazy with his ability to draw fouls. The Panthers belonged to a new region in 1997 and the result was a 12-16 record. Nevertheless, Forest Park was able to surprise a few of their favored 7-AAAA opponents, especially in the post season. In addition to Burton and Williams, the team featured Ricky Stallworth, Mike Reid, and Antjuan Allen.

The 1997 season began with one of the most unusual personal performances ever. Forest Park opened Morrow’s Arrowhead Classic with a 58-56 loss to Crim in which Burton went to the foul line an unbelievable 39 times. He connected on 30 of the attempts to finish the game with 37 despite making just three shots from the floor. The Panthers had the most success against Riverdale, now a non-region opponent, and Mount Zion, sweeping both teams easily. Jonesboro upset Forest Park 66-65 at Jonesboro when the referee negated a Williams shot at the buzzer. New region opponents Douglass, Tri-Cities, and Dunwoody had little trouble with the Panthers, claiming all six regular season meetings. The Panthers turned the table in the sub region tournament, edging Dunwoody in the opener and host Tri-Cities in the second round to qualify for the region tournament. Burton finished his career with 1576 points (20.0 per game).

The second season in 7-AAAA was a tragic year for Forest Park basketball. Judged by wins and losses, the 6-19 campaign was disappointing. Even more devastating, however, was the loss of one of the key players in a car accident. Starting point guard Mike Reid suffered an asthma attack while driving to the Mount Zion game in early December, lost control of his vehicle, and died from his injuries.

After a good showing in the Arrowhead Classic to begin the 1998 season, the team went downhill fast. The only region wins came against Mount Zion and Morrow, teams that were struggling as well. Still, junior guard Demetrice Williams was capable of putting up huge offensive numbers. He had four 30-point games and led the team in scoring 21 times in 25 games. His 22.9 per game average led to another all-county selection.

Fortunes picked up with another change in region alignment in 1999. As a member of 4-AAA, the Panthers were back in the same league with county rivals Jonesboro, Riverdale, and Lovejoy as well as the schools from Henry and Fayette. Williams turned in another banner year, scoring 22.1 per game to finish his career in third place on the school’s all-time points list. In one remarkable five-game stretch, he topped the 30-point plateau four times including a career-high 39 against Starrs Mill. Team accomplishments were up also as Forest Park qualified for the state tournament for the first time since 1991. A 59-51 win over Riverdale to close the regular season allowed the Panthers to avoid talented North Clayton until the sub region final. As runner-up to the Eagles, the team was assured a state playoff berth in the new four-team per region format. Marquez Terry, Cedric Bryant, Terreon Banks, and Vernon Belt teamed with Williams to lead the team to an overall 13-15 record.

SEASON SCORING LEADERS
1990 Corey Johnson 18.5
1991 Corey Johnson 22.1
1992 Corey Johnson 25.5
1993 Tracy Cummings N/A
1994 Ernest Grant N/A
1995 Gary Burton 15.0
1996 Gary Burton 21.0
1997 Gary Burton 24.5
1998 D. Williams 22.9
1999 D. Williams 22.1

2000-03
With the graduation of high-scoring guard Demetrice Williams, Lamar Oglesby’s Panthers struggled to replace the point production and the team slipped to sub .500 results. After posting just eleven combined wins in 2000 and 2001, the Panthers doubled that total the next two seasons. So far in the decade, Forest Park has belonged to three different regions in three classifications.

Marquet Terry, a 6’1” all-county forward, and Cedric Bryant led the Panthers into the 2000 season, their second in Region 4-AAA. The team finished 6-18 with wins over Eagles Landing, Jonesboro, and Henry County. The team continued to have difficulty the next year as Forest Park joined 4-AAAAA. Senior Cedric Bryant was the team leader and was assisted by Randy Jackson, Richard Hawkins, Adrian Belton, and freshman Brandon Emerson. Forest Park claimed wins over Newnan, Henry County, Fayette County, Eagles Landing, and Evans, finishing 5-19.

The Panthers improved to nine wins in 2002 due to the play of Hawkins and newcomers James Cleveland, Taj McCullough, and Tory Oglesby. The team’s best effort of the year came early in December when they surprised eventual region champion Lovejoy 50-48 at home. Forest Park also recorded victories over Newnan, Mount Zion, and North Clayton to take the eleventh seed in the 16-team league. They went down by three to North Clayton in the first round of the post season.

With a more experienced lineup and a new slate of opponents, Forest Park was back in 2003. Veteran Richard Hawkins led familiar cast that saw the return of Randy Jackson after a one-year hiatus and all-county forward Tory Oglesby. Jamal Bowers and Coley Carter added offensive strength, both scoring over twenty on several occasions. The most exciting game of the year came at Sandy Creek late in January when Jackson stuck in a shot with three tenths of a second on the clock for a 61-59 victory. Playing with confidence, the Panthers followed that with an unlikely 20-point win over #2-ranked Douglas County in early February. Opening the 4-AAAA tournament with Pebblebrook, a team they had swept in the regular season, the Panthers seemed poised to challenge for the title. Instead, Forest Park saw its season end at 13-12 as the underdogs rallied for a 73-58 upset.

TEAM LEADERS
2000: Marquet Terry and Cedric Bryant
2001: Cedric Bryant and Brandon Emerson
2002: Richard Hawkins and Tory Oglesby
2003: Hawkins, Oglesby, and Randy Jackson

FP’s TEN BEST SCORING AVERAGES
Corey Johnson 25.5 (1992
Cordy Glenn 24.9 (1974
Gary Burton 24.5 (1997
Demetrice Williams 22.9 (1998
Corey Johnson 22.1 (1991
Demetrice Williams 22.1 (1999
Gary Burton 21.0 (1996
Rocky Davis 20.9 (1970
Rocky Davis 20.6 (1971
Mike Kirk 19.4 (1972

FP’s TEN BEST SEASONS
1969: 26-4
1970: 25-1
1979: 24-3
1971: 23-4
1972: 22-5
1968: 21-6
1967: 20-7
1974: 19-5
1978: 19-8
1976: 18-5