Science Hill High School

George Pitts

George Pitts

Anyone trying to remember a better basketball coach around here than George Pitts would be hard-pressed.

Science Hill's full-court press seemed like one of the Seven Wonders of the World for the majority of Pitts' reign. It made good teams look bad, and decent teams look helpless.

He came to Science Hill in 1984 and took the 'Toppers to nine state tournaments and three state titles in 15 years. There was also a state runner-up finish, two Arby's Classic titles and two Arby's runner-ups.

Pitts' teams conquered the likes of Jermaine O'Neal, David Vaughn and Ron Mercer (twice), the second time after Mercer had transferred from Goodpasture to Oak Hill. His Warriors came to Freedom Hall in December of '94. More than 6,200 tickets were sold and 7,000 fans surely saw the 'Toppers offset Mercer with the likes of Jovann Johnson, Nathaniel Bailey and Brad Fields.

Rob Williams had also transferred from Science Hill to Oak Hill that season, adding current to a charged setting.

"It was an unbelievable atmosphere," Pitts said. "That was a great night for high school basketball."

Pitts went on to win four state titles at Brentwood Academy and took King College to the NAIA nationals last year in his first season at the college level. "I'd rank Pitts right up there with people like (Adolf) Rupp and (Denny) Crum," said legendary official Ralph Stout, who called seven straight ACC tournaments at one point. "I know he was on the high school level doing that, but he can coach basketball like few men can."

Dobyns-Bennett coach Charlie Morgan, a long-time Pitts assistant who won two state titles at Salem (Va.), said Pitts is invaluable for assistant coaches.

"I never felt like I worked for Coach Pitts; I always felt like I worked with him," Morgan said. "He allowed me and Randy Ferrell to be hands-on in practice."

Longtime Science Hill PA man Kenny Arrowood was quick with an opinion on Pitts' focus. "I had more respect for George Pitts than any coach I was ever around. He's the best basketball coach I ever saw. But during basketball season I didn't like him much and I told him that," he said with a chuckle.

"But when it comes to basketball, it's all business. I didn't think any team from this end of the state would ever win the state. But with his system, Science Hill wore 'em down and wore 'em out."

Damon Johnson, who played at Tennessee and has played a decade in Europe, said Pitts was exceptional.

"We had a lot of talented players in the '90s," Johnson said, "but I wasn't a very good player for a while. Coach Pitts really helped develop me; he developed a lot of talent. And part of that was because he treated everybody the same."

Indeed, Pitts named off players for five minutes while reviewing the Hilltopper days, and apologizes for the ones he leaves out. He remembers T.R. Dunn crying in the shower after a substate loss in the mid-80s as though it was the strengthening heartbeat of an emerging program.

He reels off names that don't necessarily stand the test of time as well, but passed his taxing tests with flying colors (maroon and gold, of course). Players such as Josea Gardner, Anthony Rowe and Lynn Stuart.

"Those early teams set the tone," Pitts said. "I talked to a lot of coaches when I was in Knoxville who said Johnson City was a great place to coach, but I never could've envisioned what we did. But the main reason for that was that we just had some fabulous players."