The Bladenboro Middle School gym was renamed Willis Nance Jr. Gymnasium Saturday morning in honor of the former Bladenboro High School boys’ basketball coach.
Nance guided Bladenboro High to 1-A state championships in 1990 and 1994. The school became a middle school when Bladenboro and Tar Heel high schools were merged into West Bladen High School in the early 2000s.
“Wow, what a morning,” Nance told a gathering of former players and coaches along with family and friends. “I have to thank first my Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, because it never would have happened without him.
“It’s such a great opportunity to see my players, my coaches, my fans, my community and my family.”
Nance thanked several people who helped him along the way, including his parents, his wife, Victoria, his former high school coach Linwood Hedgepeth and friend Otis Evans. Evans spearheaded the drive to have the gym named in Nance’s honor.
Nance’s 1990 state title team featured championship game Most Valuable Player and former Wake Forest star Trelonnie Owens. The 1994 team was led by the high-flying duo of Bert Rogers and Alfonza Lewis. Rogers was named the Most Valuable Player in the championship game.
The 1992 Bulldog team won the Class 1A Eastern Regional but finished as state runners-up. Leading scorer Dietrich Banner was hampered by an ankle injury in the state title game. Current Whiteville Coach Jerry Singletary was a starting guard on that team.
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Photos by Kenneth Armstrong
Nance posted a career record of 308 wins and 106 losses and was 299-102 at Bladenboro. He coached the East Bladen girls to a 19-4 record before taking the job at Bladenboro.
Under Nance the Bulldogs were 6-0 in Eastern Regional play and won 7 conference championships in a 10-year span. He was named the NCHSAA Class 1A Coach of the Year in 1990 and 1994 and received 7 Conference Coach of the Year Awards.
During that 10-year span the Bulldogs were considered one of the Premier Basketball Powers in the state and ranked in the Top 10.
“I know my name is up there,” Nance said Saturday morning, “but each and every one of the folks out here today, the community, my players, my staff, you all have a part in this. It’s not about me, it’s about us. Our basketball family.”
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