The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

August 6, 2009

Anderson praised

By Dan Stillwell

In winning five Class AA or Class A state basketball championships at Mullens High School, Don Nuckols coached many fine players.

The names are a who’s who of West Virginia basketball: Mike D’Antoni, Herbie Brooks, Greg White, Willie Stewart, Jerry Thomas, Bill Mizell, Jeff Mullins, Shawn Finney.

And certainly, from 1969-71, Jerome Anderson.

“In my opinion, Jerome was as good as any player to play at Mullens High School,” Nuckols said of the smooth-shooting Anderson, who died Saturday in Helsingborg, Sweden, after a long battle with leukemia.

Anderson led Mullens to the 1970 Class AA championship before moving on to play for West Virginia University, the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers.

He could do it all — shoot, dribble, rebound and play defense.

“Jerome could take players to the hoop,” Nuckols said. “He could go to the glass and use the backboard, so smooth it was unbelievable.

“For a big man, the way he handled the ball and shot it impressed me. It was awfully hard to slow him down.”

Guarding the 6-foot-4 Anderson was a nightmare. Defend him inside and he’d take the ball to the perimeter and knock down shot after shot.

“He had a beautiful jump shot,” Nuckols said. “He could shoot from anywhere.”

The 1970 season saw Mullens overcome a number of teams with huge players. The Rebels’ post was 5-10 Glen Stevens. Anderson played the wing but often found himself going against the opponents’ big men.

“We had to face Peterstown and they had a 6-7 guy who went on to play and captain Duke,” Nuckols said. “We beat them and then had to play Northfork, who had some 6-7 and 6-8 guys.

“At states, we had to face a team much better than both in Charles Town, which had 6-8 Larry Carr (who would play with Anderson at WVU) and 6-7 Bill Lindsey (a future all-American at Fairmont State College). They had one heck of a team.”

Yet Mullens prevailed for the championship.

“There was so much talent in the state that year, which made what Jerome did even more amazing,” Nuckols said.

Anderson became the only WVU player to captain the team for three consecutive years. He went on to play for the NBA world champion Boston Celtics (1975-76) and Indiana Pacers (1976-77).

He left the NBA to pursue a career in Europe. He played and coached in Sweden for several years.

Anderson was 55 at the time of his death.

“He coached until he got sick,” Nuckols said. “I talked to his sister Cynthia and she told me that before Christmas she had tried to get him to come home, but he was too sick to come in.”

Nuckols will always remember Anderson for the person he was, as well as the player.

“Jerome was kind of quiet. He never caused problems at school,” he said. “I don’t imagine he ever caused his parents problems. He was very humble.

“Every year I had a basketball camp, he’d come back and work it. He’d stay with me and we’d talk and watch TV.

“He was just a fantastic young man.”

— E-mail: dstillwell

@register-herald.com

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