1982 ABAC Stallions won state crown

TIFTON — The men’s basketball team at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College preserved its place in ABAC history on March 6, 1982, when the Golden Stallions defeated Gainesville Junior College, 67-66, to win the state championship in Gressette Gymnasium.

Members of that team will be honored along with five other individuals on April 6 in ABAC’s Museum of Agriculture Conference Room when they are inducted into the 2018 class of the ABAC Athletics Hall of Fame.

Coach Donnie Veal’s Golden Stallions gained the right to host the 1982 state tournament by compiling a sparkling 16-1 conference record in regular season play. The Golden Stallions rolled over South Georgia, 75-56, on the tournament’s opening night behind 19 points by London, 17 by Taylor and 15 by Holsey.

In the semifinal round, ABAC knocked off arch rival Middle Georgia, 75-65, when London scored 13 points and Roberts, Pierce and Taylor chipped in 12 apiece. In the title game, Taylor, a 5-foot-9 sophomore from Enigma, poured in 25 points to win Most Valuable Player honors for the tournament. Holsey had 11 points, and Roberts scored 10.

Veal was named the National Junior College Athletic Association Region XVII Coach of the Year, and Taylor, London, Holsey and Roberts made the all-tournament team. It was the first men’s basketball state title for ABAC since 1964.

In the first round of the national tournament in Lake City, Fla., ABAC lost a 56-54 heartbreaker to Miami-Dade, which was ranked No. 1 in the nation with a 29-0 record. Miami-Dade star Yvon Joseph then led his team to the national championship game where it lost in overtime to Midland College (Texas), a team led by future NBA All Star Game Dunk Champion Spud Webb. Joseph later played for Georgia Tech.

ABAC rode a 17-game winning streak during the season to a final record of 25-5. Veal was selected for the ABAC Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012 and Taylor was inducted in 2014.

“Everything really came together that year,” Veal said in a recent interview.  “I just remember how tight that championship game was all the way. I also remember Sims was probably the only sixth man on a team to make the All-Conference team.” 

ABAC Athletics Director Alan Kramer said the team members including Eugene London, Willie Roberts, Marshall Taylor, Ben Pierce, Alphonso Holsey, Ronnie Sims, Byron Cox, Bruce Capers, Allen Ague, Curt Colberg, Brandon Jett and Fred Lyle will be inducted along with Luis Paredes from the 1974-76 men’s tennis teams, Teresa Cromer Walker from the 1993-95 softball teams, Jorge Novoa, a friend of the tennis program since 1972, Jenni Collins Smith from the 1980-82 women’s basketball teams, Chuck DeVane from the 1980-82 baseball teams and Andy Vaughn from the 1981-83 golf teams.

As an extra added attraction to the Hall of Fame ceremony this year, Polly Huff, assistant director and curator at the Museum, will feature an entire exhibit based on ABAC athletics titled “The Glory Days” in the Museum Gallery.  Hall of Fame members can visit the exhibit at a 5 p.m. reception prior to dinner.  The exhibit will then open to all ABAC alumni and the public on April 7 as a part of the Homecoming Weekend. 

Tickets to the reception and dinner are $40 per person.  Tickets can be purchased from the ABAC Athletics Office at (229) 391-4930. The deadline to purchase tickets is March 26.  There will be no tickets sold at the event.

For more information on the 2018 Homecoming Week, interested persons can visit the web site at www.abac.edu/homecoming.