Gryphon Hilliard makes HSOT.com Holiday Invitational All-Tourney team

RALEIGH - Rocky Mount senior Terrill Hilliard was named to the Shavlik Randolph bracket All-Tournament team at the HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Friday evening at Broughton High's Holliday Gym. 

Though Rocky Mount played its games on Tuesday and Wednesday, the All-Tournament team was announced following the bracket 's championship game. Chapel Hill remained undefeated (13-0) after beating homestanding Broughton 75-71 in overtime.

Hilliard, the Gryphons' leading scorer and rebounder, had 25 points in each of its two losses in the tournament (68-56 to Broughton, 62-60 in overtime to Clayton).

Chapel Hill's Denzel Ingram, who had 43 points - 33 in the second half against the Caps in the title contest, was named MVP of the tournament. 

Joining Hilliard and Ingram on the honorary squad were Clayton's Gary Clark, Broughton's James Hemphill and Chapel Hill's Anthony Vanhook.


HighSchoolOT.com Holiday Invitational Tournament
Shavlik Randolph Bracket
All-Tournament Team

Denzel Ingram, Chapel Hill - MVP 

Terrill Hilliard, Rocky Mount

James Hemphill, Broughton
Anthony Vanhook, Chapel Hill
Gary Clark, Clayton

Tournament Notes

On Tuesday evening, former Rocky Mount greats Phil Ford and Buck Williams were named as two of 11 Legends of the Tournament for the 40-year-old event.

Ford and Williams joined players Cedric Maxwell (Kinston), Nate McMillan (Enloe), Rodney Monroe (St. Maria Goretti, Md.), Rodney Rogers (Durham Hillside), Jerry Stackhouse (Kinston), Billy Williams (Broughton), Donald Williams (Garner), Danny Young (Enloe) and prep journalist Tim Stevens (Raleigh News and Observer).

Each legend was given a special plaque recognizing their achievements. The plaque was made from sections of the Holliday Gym floor was that was saved after the gym was totally remodeled a few years ago. The first ever-tournament in 1971 was played on that floor.

A teammate of Ford's was on the floor at the Shavlik Randolph title game. RMSH Class of 1975 member and reserve guard Don Johnson was a member of the three-man officiating crew Friday evening.

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

Whit Barnes, WFU's backup long snapper, warms up before the game.

(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening at Nashville's LP Field. And the result did not go the Deacons' way!

Wake Forest fell to the Bulldogs 23-17 to fall to 6-7 for the season. We hope to have some final comments from Deacon offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes sometime this weekend on the defeat and his  whole Bowl experience.)

The Barnes Report - from Nashville, Tn.

(Editor's note: Wake Forest played Mississippi State in the Franklin American Mortgage Company Music City Bowl Friday evening. Wake Forest offensive lineman and former RMHS Gryphon Whit Barnes is blogging from Nashville, Tn. each day on his exploits. Here is entry No. 3)

We went to the head coaches' luncheon at the Wild Horse Saloon to see Coach (Jim) Grobe and Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen on stage answering questions from fans on Facebook and Twitter.

On the menu was barbecue, fried chicken and lots of banana pudding. 

Then we had practice this afternoon (Thursday). 

My family got into town tonight and I spent some time with my brother and cousins after all the activities were over. It's not the first time in Nashville for some of them. My parents and brother came to the Vanderbilt game last year and my grandparents have been to Nashville a few times. I think it's the second time for the rest of the family.

The Bowl committee gives all the players a goodie bag (up to $500 in value.). I gave the bowl watch (Reactor) to my dad for Christmas I also got a Sony surround sound system and a fender guitar with the bowl logo on it. 

- Whit Barnes, Wake Forest offensive lineman, RMHS '09