In the early 1950s, the basketball duo of Cebe Price and Paul Underwood of South Charleston were lighting up scoreboards in the Kanawha Valley.
They went on to star at Marshall, where they won a Mid-American Conference title and earned spots in the school's athletic Hall of Fame. Fans in the southern part of the state nicknamed Price and Underwood "The Gold Dust Twins."
Don't look now but there is a new version of "The Gold Dust Twins" starting to excite the fans in Huntington.
In case you haven't noticed, Marshall's Jon Elmore (who played at South Charleston) and Steve Browning (from Logan) look like they have been playing together for years. Like Price and Underwood, they play the game with an exciting flair, but and both are sound fundamentally. You have to understand the game to recognize the many ways in which they contribute to coach Dan D'Antoni's system.
The fans love them, and soon this version of "The Gold Dust Twins" could be filling the seats in the Henderson Center the same way Price and Underwood did at Oakes Gym in South Charleston and the Memorial Fieldhouse in Huntington.
nnn
The high school basketball season is a special part of the sports heritage of southern West Virginia. Here are a few of the many things I remember about it.
n I can remember the incredible passion of the Logan-Williamson basketball rivalry. I remember getting to the Logan Fieldhouse at 5:30 p.m. and barely getting a seat for a 7:30 game to see Mark Cline and Curtis Townes of Williamson battle Kenny Ross, Gary Webster and Logan.
n I remember packed houses for doubleheaders at the National Guard Armory in Welch. The same thing was true at the Brushfork Armory in Mercer County.
n I remember when high school teams in Kanawha County would play an entire season and never have to leave the county.
n I was too young to see Jerry West at East Bank, but I remember the buzz in the East Bank gym when Pioneer star Lanny Steed would walk in. He walked in like he owned the place.
n I remember being stunned in March of 1969 when seemingly invincible Charleston High lost to Greg Hawkins and the old Huntington High in the regional finals. It was the Mountain Lions' first loss in two years. The next day it seemed the whole city of Charleston was in mourning.
n I remember when Virginia Tech used to be called VPI and its starting five in basketball all hailed from southern West Virginia.
n I remember when the town of Gauley Bridge was loaded with hoops talent.
n I can remember the buzz in the old DuPont gym when you saw Jim Fout, James Chambers, Greg Bell, Kelly Sutton, Will Johnson, Erick Wood and others. And, of course, there was nothing like watching Jason Williams and Randy Moss play together.
n In the coalfields,every gym was packed whether you were in Northfork, Mullens, Oceana, Beckley, Kermit or Harts. Basketball home games were special.