52 years after Moses Malone, Petersburg does it again – this time in style
In 1974, the city of Petersburg shut down for the day to honor Moses Malone, who had just led the high school basketball team to 50 consecutive wins and a second state title.
Dick Vitale and Lefty Driesell were among the dignitaries who spoke at a ceremony, which was followed by a dance in honor of the star player.
Saturday night at the Siegel Center, the Crimson Wave returned to the high school hoops mountaintop, and it seemed like every resident of the town packed into a standing-room, don’t-tell-the-fire-marshal crowd to celebrate a joyous moment long in the making.
“It’s amazing,” said Vice Mayor Darrin Hill, one of many dignitaries in attendance. “My heart is full right now.
“It’s in the air right now. The economic growth we have, our schools being accredited, and what these students are doing – it says a whole lot about the direction the city is going. It’s awesome.”
The exploits of the 6-foot-10 Malone were spread far and wide by the newspapers and magazines of the day, turning his athletic feats into larger-than-life stories.
This year’s Petersburg team seems similarly calibrated to the times, with every move designed for maximum reach across social media.
The town made a big bet on basketball coach Ty White last summer, promising him resources for his Team Loaded AAU program and luring him away from John Marshall, where he had won four consecutive state titles.
It didn’t take much selling. White is from Petersburg, and knew immediately what it would mean for the city.
“There’s no place like home,” he said on Saturday. “This is for us. It’s our turn now. I’m so excited, because if you’ve been in Petersburg, you’ve heard a lot of stuff, but there’s no place in the world like Petersburg, and I’m just happy to lead this group of young men to a state title.”
The team arrived in matching crimson suits, custom tailored by Andre’ Julius, who was featured on Tamron Hall’s nationally broadcast daytime talk show last week.
The style of play is equally flashy, with highlight dunks and no shortage of bravado – star player Latrell Allmond scored the game-clinching basket with 5 minutes to play against Lake Taylor on Saturday night, then turned to the crowd and flexed.
Allmond is headed to Oklahoma State next year, and national recruiting website On3 reported that he’ll receive more than $1 million in name, image and likeness benefits from the Cowboys’ program.
That’s a far cry from the days of Moses Malone. After his second state title, an NCAA investigator visited town to inquire about why Malone was driving a new Chrysler Imperial around town.
It is a new era of college basketball, and with that comes a new era of high school basketball, one that Petersburg is built for.
Cam Claiborne scored five points for the Crimson Wave on Saturday night. He grew up in Petersburg, where his dad and brother both suited up for the Crimson Wave.
He said the team has built a bond with the town this season.
“We know we’re a basketball team, but we do a lot of things with the community,” he said. “We go to church together. We give a lot to the homeless. So it was more than just a basketball win. It was a big win for the city.”
Allmond, who moved from John Marshall with White, said it’s been a blessing to play his final high school season in Petersburg.
“They’re really die-hard fans,” he said. “They love their basketball, and to be able to have those people behind you, it’s an amazing feeling.
White has turned Petersburg basketball into the biggest show in town, and that’s unlikely to change anytime soon.
The roster has a number of underclassmen, including freshman King Bacot, who is already one of the nation’s best high school basketball players.
In a town not often in the spotlight for positive reasons, the gym is sold out regularly, and Saturday night’s showing made clear how much the state title meant for morale in Petersburg.
It’s a program, and a sport, Malone would barely realize, but Petersburg’s investment had few detractors inside the Siegel Center on Saturday night, as residents poured onto Broad Street chanting and celebrating.
“I just feel like we set the standard now,” Claiborne said. “This will not be our last time here.”
Contact Michael Phillips at mphillips@richmonder.org.
