Bland County Player Makes History

[FootballFan67 62]

For the first time in Bland County basketball history, Danielle Sanders (granddaughter of the Joe Stiltner, Bland Rocket basketball standout in the 70s) set the record for most blocks in a girls' game with 14. The previous record was 10 set by her.  She also achieved the first triple double in the history of BC basketball with 14 points, 16 rebounds, and 14 blocks in a victory against Grayson County.  Bland plays Galax tomorrow night. She's a junior who's probably about 6' 4".  I think Joe Stiltner was somewhere around 6' 9" tall. Congratulations to this young lady! 

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

So happy to hear this good news.  Man, her granddaddy was something special as was the entire county of Bland in basketball in the 60's and 70's.  Most on here just don't know about how popular basketball was in Bland County in the 50's ,60's,and 70's and even up until the late 80's with guys like Pat Sutfin, who played at Rocky Gap and Radford University, and guys like Patrick Smith at Bland High.  It was basically a county that belonged in the state of Indiana in the 50's,60's, 70's and for a part of the 80's.  What got Bland County was population loss like most of SWVA counties, and Bland had little room to spare to take a population loss to begin with, but they were breeding basketball players over in that county in the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Really pleased to hear this about young Danielle Sanders. Kudos to her.  I had no idea Joe Stiltner still had relatives left in Bland.

[tornado99 345]

17 minutes ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

So happy to hear this good news.  Man, her granddaddy was something special as was the entire county of Bland in basketball in the 60's and 70's.  Most on here just don't know about how popular basketball was in Bland County in the 50's ,60's,and 70's and even up until the late 80's with guys like Pat Sutfin, who played at Rocky Gap and Radford University, and guys like Patrick Smith at Bland High.  It was basically a county that belonged in the state of Indiana in the 50's,60's, 70's and for a part of the 80's.  What got Bland County was population loss like most of SWVA counties, and Bland had little room to spare to take a population loss to begin with, but they were breeding basketball players over in that county in the 50's, 60's, and 70's. Really pleased to hear this about young Danielle Sanders. Kudos to her.  I had no idea Joe Stiltner still had relatives left in Bland.

This reminds me of the Northfork, WV dynamic in WV before consolidation with their basketball dynasty. They even had a football state title during that era.

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

Jennings Boyd, a legendary coach and so powerful in the 70s through the early 80s in basketball it brought national attention. You stack em and rack em with the Blue Demons of Northfork in Hoops and......you would lose the overwhelming majority of the time.

Don't quote me, but I think....BluefieldResearcher would know this....Tommy Beasley might have been on that football state title team for Northfork (could be wrong though).  Tommy Beasley played at Northfork, then Va Tech, then the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is the father of Chad Beasley (Gate City, VA Tech, Viking and Browns).

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

Just read the write up about Danielle Sanders in the Roanoke Times.  14 blocks?  Who in the heck blocks 14 shots in one basketball game?  For the love of God, all Bland County opponents, STOP shooting the basketball in the paint when she's around.  After 3 or 4......or 7.....or maybe 10 blocks......the picture should be kind of clear.  The NBA record for most blocks in one game is 17.  14 blocked shots is way, way beyond the norm.  It would be in the realm of scoring like 75 points in a basketball game.  It's actually that rare.

[tornado99 345]

2 hours ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

Jennings Boyd, a legendary coach and so powerful in the 70s through the early 80s in basketball it brought national attention. You stack em and rack em with the Blue Demons of Northfork in Hoops and......you would lose the overwhelming majority of the time.

Don't quote me, but I think....BluefieldResearcher would know this....Tommy Beasley might have been on that football state title team for Northfork (could be wrong though).  Tommy Beasley played at Northfork, then Va Tech, then the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is the father of Chad Beasley (Gate City, VA Tech, Viking and Browns).

I remember he played for them, and maybe Duck Riley?

[gwloyal 192]

12 hours ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said:

Just read the write up about Danielle Sanders in the Roanoke Times.  14 blocks?  Who in the heck blocks 14 shots in one basketball game?  For the love of God, all Bland County opponents, STOP shooting the basketball in the paint when she's around.  After 3 or 4......or 7.....or maybe 10 blocks......the picture should be kind of clear.  The NBA record for most blocks in one game is 17.  14 blocked shots is way, way beyond the norm.  It would be in the realm of scoring like 75 points in a basketball game.  It's actually that rare.

Man, she keeps that thing ready like a pissed off fella chasing a fly in his living room with a fly swatter too lol!

Our girls played them the night before she went off for the triple double against Grayson, and I asked some Bland coworkers about her the next morning. That's when I found out she was Stiltner's granddaughter. I was not surprised at all that she did what she did that night. We definitely reminisced about some of those Bland teams you had mentioned as well. The one I distinctly remember was the Patrick Smith lead team that fell short in the regionals. I believe Lebanon clipped them in the Regional semis that held them back from a GW/Bland matchup in the final. Lebanon went on to win a state championship that year with Scott Allen setting a state tourney record for assists. If Bland and Rocky Gap were consolidated at the time, I have no doubt they would have been capable of winning a state title that year. Truth be told, Bland was capable even without Rocky Gap in 90/91. They were right on par with Lebanon, GW, and Cumberland, who were the clear top 3 teams that season. 

Pretty sure that same bunch also went to the state tourney in 89/90 as well, but I could be mistaken.

[BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717]

2 hours ago, gwloyal said:

Man, she keeps that thing ready like a pissed off fella chasing a fly in his living room with a fly swatter too lol!

Our girls played them the night before she went off for the triple double against Grayson, and I asked some Bland coworkers about her the next morning. That's when I found out she was Stiltner's granddaughter. I was not surprised at all that she did what she did that night. We definitely reminisced about some of those Bland teams you had mentioned as well. The one I distinctly remember was the Patrick Smith lead team that fell short in the regionals. I believe Lebanon clipped them in the Regional semis that held them back from a GW/Bland matchup in the final. Lebanon went on to win a state championship that year with Scott Allen setting a state tourney record for assists. If Bland and Rocky Gap were consolidated at the time, I have no doubt they would have been capable of winning a state title that year. Truth be told, Bland was capable even without Rocky Gap in 90/91. They were right on par with Lebanon, GW, and Cumberland, who were the clear top 3 teams that season. 

Pretty sure that same bunch also went to the state tourney in 89/90 as well, but I could be mistaken.

Agree. The Bland team in 90ish 91 with Patrick Smith and I think Chad King could flat out play. I knew Patrick well. We hung out some partying on Wilderness Road. Patrick could jump out of the gym as they say. Thise teams in the late 80s and very early 90s were very good, but just not deep due to small numbers. If consolidated back then, that extra depth would have got them over the hump against Lebanon in my opinion. I watched them play at Richlands around 1990ish and couldn't believe the fans they brought. I'm telling ya, they must have brought 1000 people to Richlands. Completely backed their side. I simply don't know where all the people came from.