Ceremony set Jan. 27 for basketball team in the finals
Members of the 1963 Jay High School Final Four basketball team are front row from left, Harry Hawthorne, David West, Sid McCall, Larry Goodson, Roger Dobson and Rodney Reaves. Back row are Carl Hicks, Mickey Settle, J.B. Dobson, Buddy Bradley, Kenny Baker and Jerry Moore.
Members of Jay High School's 1963 boys basketball team will be honored Friday, Jan. 27, celebrating the 60th anniversary of the team that made it to Florida's Final Four.
The celebration will be held between Jay's junior varsity and varsity games Friday in the John Clarence Smith Gymnasium' which was named in honor of the long-time and 1963 coach of the Royals, Clarence Smith. The junior varsity game tips off at 5:30 p.m. and should last less than an hour.
Smith coached the 1963 team to a 27-7 record and was named the Escambia River Conference Coach of the Year by the Milton Press-Gazette.
The late J.B. Dobson was named Player of the Year and to the All Escambia River Conference Team following the season. During the 1962-63 season Dobson scored 477 points and pulled down 429 rebounds with an average of 14.4 rebounds per game. He hit 87 of 138 free throws for a 63 percent average and was 195 of 443 from the field for a 44 percent average.
Roger Dobson, brother of J.B. Johnson said it was a magical season and credits Coach Smith for making the team play a tough non-conference schedule.
In addition to J.B. Johnson, three others from that team, Sid McCall, Mickey Settle and Kenny Baker have died.
Roger Dobson said he plans to be in attendance Jan. 27 when the team is honored.
"Going into the season we had a lot of height and experience," Roger Dobson said. "We also had an experienced point guard in Sid McCall. We had a senior-led team and the experience showed through."
He said the Florida High School Athletic Association made them play six teams in their division and Coach Smith filled the rest of the schedule with tough teams.
"Coach Smith was a tough coach," Roger Dobson said. "He was actually on the 1944 team that made it to the Final 4. He turned out a lot of good teams in the 60s and 70s."
Dobson noted it's been 60 years and Jay hasn't made it back to the Final Four since.
"We still stay in touch and talk to each other often," Dobson said. "I'm looking forward to it."
