Hicks and Cima, two great ones who will be missed

Coach Billy Hicks, who passed away this week at age 71, led the Corbin Redhounds to the mountain top. It had been 39 years since a Redhound team had made it to the state tournament, but Hicks broke the losing spell in 1991 when Corbin beat Bell County winning the 13th Regional championship.

Don Estep is publisher of the News Journal.

Prior to that win I had been a frustrated play-by-play broadcaster for Redhound basketball for 25 years thinking Corbin would never make it to the Sweet Sixteen again.

As a sophomore on the “B’ team at Corbin High I knew I would never make the traveling squad so I teamed up with the coaches’ son, Phil Taylor, and became a manager for the team. That was my ticket to all the ball games.

Ever since I started watching Jerry Bird, Frank Selvy, Bobby Terrell, Roy Kidd, Bobby Cathers, C.D. Vermillion and all the greats who won the 13th Region several times in the early 50’s,  I had dreamed of going to the state tournament.

It was 1957, my senior year, and my dream was about to come true as Corbin faced Clay County in the championship game of the 13th Region played at Bell County High School.

My heart was pounding and I was jumping with joy as the Redhounds were five points ahead with less then 30 seconds to go and were taking the ball out at the far end of the court.

The pass in bounds was intercepted and scored by the Tigers. That cut the lead to three. Almost immediately the same thing happened and the lead was down to one. Coach Harry Taylor called a time out.

He told the players to set a screen for Calvin Bird, who averaged 32 points per game that year, and throw it in to him. For the third time in a row the pass was intercepted and Clay County scored and led by one.

With only a few seconds left on the clock Winton Boone drove the length of the court for a lay up that rolled around the rim three times before falling off. The horn sounded and Corbin had lost. That was the most painful ball game loss I have ever experienced.

Then in 1964 Corbin had the best team in the region. Curly and Marvin Selvy were the stars on the team. In the finals of the 50th District Corbin beat Knox Central by 25 points. They drew Knox Central in the first game of the region and lost. Another great opportunity gone.

But Coach Billy Hicks did what no other person had done in 39 years by winning the regional championship for Corbin.

Coach Hicks was a good friend. He helped me do my job. Like so many others, I will miss him. Thanks, Coach, you were the best!

I also want to pass my condolences to the family of Mario Cima. Mario passed away last week. Nobody has ever made me feel as good about my broadcasting games as he did. He would talk about the times he laid in bed listening to his transistor radio while I broadcast the games. Mario was super sweet. He made you feel good about yourself.

Thanks Mario, we are going to miss you. R.I.P.