Gainey closing in on No. 300

Rocky Mount head girls basketball coach Pam Gainey is growing ever nearer to 300 wins for her career.

With the Lady Gryphons' 58-46 victory over Nash Central last Thursday, Gainey picked up win No. 292 for her career. She's in her 17th season as RMHS' head coach.

Four conference games remain, and if they keep winning, two more Lady Gryphon wins will come in the Big East tourney. Sadly, Rocky Mount will not make up its regular season games at home with J.H. Rose or at Hertford County.

So the odds are, if Rocky Mount wins its second round playoff game, Gainey will reach the milestone this season.

But you never know when a team, even a good one, will stump its toe, so we'll have wait this one out.

THE PAM GAINEY FILE

2009-10 - 14-2 (through 1/28/10)
2008-09 - 22-5, NEW 6 3-A champ, tourney champ, playoffs
2007-08 - 23-2, NEW 6 3-A champ, tourney champ, playoffs
2006-07 - 16-11, playoffs
2005-06 - 8-18, playoffs
2004-05 - 17-8, Big East 4-A champs, playoffs
2003-04 - 23-5, Big East 4-A champs, tourney champs, playoffs
2002-03 - 22-3, Big East 4-A champs, tourney champs, playoffs
2001-02 - 20-3, Big East 4-A champs, tourney champs, playoffs
2000-01 - 24-3, Big East 4-A champs, tourney champs, playoffs
1999-00 - 20-5, Big East 4-A champs, tourney champs, playoffs
1998-99 - 20-6, playoffs
1997-98 - 12-12, playoffs
1996-97 - 12-13, playoffs
1995-96 - 14-10, playoffs
1994-95 - 15-10, playoffs
1993-94 - 10-14

Career - 292-130, .692 winning percentage (17th season)

(Eight conference titles, seven conference tournament crowns, eight 20-win seasons, one sectional title, 15 straight playoff appearances)

Whitley honored by Wilson Hot Stove League

Dudley Whitley, the former Rocky Mount High School coach and athletic director who passed away on Jan. 3 of last year, was recently honored by the Wilson Hot Stove League at its annual banquet.

Whitley was also a baseball standout for Rocky Mount, N.C. State, the Rocky Mount Leafs and the Wilson Tobs. He played seven seasons in the minor leagues.

The banquet program was dedicated in memory of Whitley, along with Wilsonians Don Thompson, Bennett Flowers and Tom Lofton.

Gilbert Ferrell, who served as a coach at Wilson Fike and later as Wilson County's high school athletic director, spoke about all four at the banquet, including Whitley.

"He was a first-class guy," Ferrell said. "The one thing he taught me most was that there's a difference between rivals and enemies. You can have rivals without having enemies."

Top N.C. HS Boys Basketball Scorers; Mabry's No. 16

Rocky Mount senior Tashawn Mabry (background) buries a 3-pointer against Northern Nash that put him past Phil Ford on the school's all-time scoring list. The game was halted seconds later to honor Mabry for his feat. (Photo/David Hahula)

When Rocky Mount senior Tashawn Mabry moved past Phil Ford last week on Rocky Mount's all-time scoring list, he also moved into the top 20 of the state's all-time scorers.

Check out where Mabry stands right now, below:

1. 3,307 JamesOn Curry Eastern Alamance 2000-2004
2. 2,846 Akeem Richmond Southern Lee 2005-09
3. 2,758 Lawrence "Cotton" Clayton Kitrell Zeb Vance 1956-59
4. 2,577 Josh King Trinity 2000-04
5. 2,575 Vernon Odom Bandys 1979-82
6. 2,574 Donald Williams Garner 1988-91
7. 2,503 Mike Cottrell Cullowhee 1984-87
8. 2,481 Chris King Hobbton 1984-88
9. 2,469 Scooter Sherrill West Rowan 1996-2000
10. 2,424 Julius Powell Newton-Conover 2001-05
11. 2,388 Justin Johnson Cherryville 2004-08
12. 2,382 Claude "Sleepy" Taylor Bartlett Yancey 1970-74
13. 2,375 Tony Byers Lincoln Academy/Bessemer City 1966-70
14. 2,366 Shon Coleman West Iredell 1992-96
15. 2,285 Brian Frazier Roanoke Rapids 1987-91
16. 2,210 Tashawn Mabry Rocky Mount 2006-present

17. 2,203 Brian Hege Ledford 1988-92
18. 2,157 Anthony Oliver North Duplin 1985-881

19. 2,135 James McCleave Bandys 1975-79
20. 2,122 Justin Strickland East Davidson 2002-06
21. 2,104 Jason Thompson Chatham Central 2000-04
22. 2,102 Jenis Grindstaff McDowell 1993-97
23. 2,100 John Virgil Elm City 1974-76
24. 2,093 Phil Ford Rocky Mount 1972-74
25. 2,087 Courtney Alexander Durham Jordan 1991-95
26. 2,087 Donte Minter West Rowan 1998-2002
27. 2,082 Russell Stephens Williams Township 1986-89
28. 2,071 Jay Moody Blue Ridge 1993-97
29. 2,063 Michael Ellis South Iredell 2001-04
30. 2,059 Trellonie Owens Bladenboro 1986-90
31. 2,042 Ray Respess Pantego 1958-61
32. 2,039 Jerry Stackhouse Kinston/Oak Hilll 1989-92
33. 2,035 Joe Ladd Lowell 1951-55
34. 2,031 Kevin Strickland North Surry 1984-87
35. 2,015 Donnie Seale Morehead 1986-89
36. 2,007 Dewayne Grant Davie County 1973-77
37. 2,000 Jeremy Atkinson Wilson Fike 2005-09