West TN Box Score
Talking Bobby Knight, MJ, and more with IU Legend Kirk Haston
About Me
My name is Eric Hampton, and I am first and foremost a Christian, husband, and father, but before I became any of these things, I was a basketball junkie. My Dad was a basketball coach, so as early as 4 years old I was sitting on the benches, living and dying with every win and loss. As I grew, I had a decent prep career and was able to parlay that into some court time at Jackson State and then I finished my playing career at Bethel College. Since college I have coached at most every level in some capacity with stops at Bradford, Perry County, Clifton, South Gibson and then finally back home to Scotts Hill. When my oldest daughters got to high school, I stepped away from coaching just to be a fan. While in this role as fan I have bemoaned the coverage of high school basketball in West Tennessee and now that my daughters have moved on, I’ve decided to dedicate some time in trying to offer some coverage for fans like me. My hope for this endeavor is to create a platform where I can share my love for Christ, remember some of the great players and coaches that came before me, entertain, and bring back the box score I so enjoyed as a young man. I hope each of you who finds this page will come along with us as we go on this journey. God Bless
Eric Hampton
Four years ago, I was digging through a bin in my office looking for a very specific box score. Instead, I came across an old newspaper clipping from 1993. The clipping contained a full slate of high school games from the night before, complete with box scores. I thought "Wouldn't it be nice if these were still out there?" After years of longing for such a site while my daughters competed in high school, I decided it was time to take action. That old clipping was the inspiration for this whole endeavor: to bring back the box scores I loved so much as a young adult. Oh, and remember that box score I was looking for in my office? It was from my playing days at Jackson State Community College. Our coach Mike Greer (an absolute legend) would sneak his friend's name into the box score from time to time (nobody ever really tallied those to make sure they matched back in the day), so sometimes this guy named Madry would randomly show up in our box scores. In honor of this, each time the West TN Box Score drops a box score, somewhere in the games there will be a Madry 2. An ode to "Where's Waldo" and a nod to one of the greatest coaches in West Tennessee history, we call it, "Where's Madry". I hope these box scores bring you both information and fond memories, thank you for your support and God Bless!
After coming to know Jesus at the age of 33, I couldn't imagine doing anything without including my Savior. Every Monday, we will start the week at the West TN Box Score by sharing a short devotional, and my prayer is that each person who reads it will receive a blessing.
Explore the inspiring journeys of hometown heroes in our feature stories. From record-breaking victories to heartwarming comebacks, West TN Box Score brings you the latest updates on your favorite West-Tennessee athletes and coaches. Get an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at their training routines, game-day strategies, and personal anecdotes. We are committed to delivering in-depth coverage that captures the essence of High School Sports in our area. Join us in celebrating the triumphs and challenges of local athletes who continue to make a mark in the world of sports. Stay connected with West TN Box Score for all the thrilling sports action!
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Celebrating Local Athletes and Coaches
Back In '82......
This is my feeble attempt to take a moment each week to remember those who paved the way for us. All my childhood heroes, some still with us and some passed on, who made sports so special to us all and inspired a deep love of the game.
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"Remember, Kid, there are heroes and there are legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die" -The Sandlot
This is my feeble attempt to take a moment each week to remember those who paved the way for us. All my childhood heroes, some still with us and some passed on, who made sports so special to us all and inspired a deep love of the game.
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"Remember, Kid, there are heroes and there are legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die" -The Sandlot
Years ago, I played a little ball with this cat who ventured into the crazy profession of coaching at about the same time I did. This was long before there was such a thing as a blog, but my friend got himself into a unique situation and started sending emails out after games (he was blogging before blogging existed), and I saved them all. With his permission, under the condition that I fictionalize all the names and places, I will attempt to tell this story. I remember my friend as a walking bucket, so for this section, we will call him Coach McBuckets, and I will attempt to bleep out some of the language used in the original post (this is a family-friendly site, and at this time, Coach McBuckets was not a family-friendly writer). This is a story of a basketball season with no hope for a victory, no hope for a legitimate basket, and a -- a dream to inbound the basketball and cross half court just once. A team with no 8th graders, seven vertically challenged 6th graders, four 5th graders, all led by one fearless, charming, and slightly HUSKY 7th grader. It is a story that can make you laugh, it made coach McBuckets cry, but you come across some interesting stories during times like this, so the West TN Box Score gladly brings you "A Coaches Blog".
