THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 23, 1995 TAG: 9504210228
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Paul White
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
Trip Hobbs, who built the Nansemond-Suffolk boys basketball team into one of a Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools power, is stepping down as head coach after nine years.
Under Hobbs, 37, the Saints compiled a 141-84 record, won three regular-season titles, reached the tournament final five times and won two tournament crowns, including in 1986-87, the first in school history for a boys team at N-SA.
Hobbs also presided over the school going from having three teams to five, and he also spent his summers running N-SA's summer basketball league.
``I'm just exhausted,'' said Hobbs, who came to N-SA after graduating from Hampden-Sydney in 1979 and started as N-SA's eighth-grade basketball coach.
``One of the things I would always tell my players is to give everything you've got, leave nothing out on the floor. Well, that's the way I feel now. I've given it my best effort and I'm proud of the record we've been able to achieve.''
Hobbs, also an English teacher at N-SA, informed his players of his decision at a team meeting Thursday afternoon.
Of all his teams' achievements, Hobbs said he's most proud of the three regular-season titles.
``I've always thought (winning the regular season) is the true test of basketball,'' he said.
Hobbs is leaving the Saints' program in excellent shape. The Saints finished last season in a four-way tie for the conference regular-season title, then advanced to the TCIS championship game. The nucleus of that 18-8 team returns, along with a strong junior varsity team.
``Coming off a great season like we had makes me feel even better about my decision,'' Hobbs said. ``It's really important for me to know I'm leaving a championship contender for the next few years.''
Hobbs stressed that he's not interested in any other coaching jobs and is content with continuing to teach English at N-SA. He said he will help out with other sports teams, although it's unlikely he'll be involved with boys basketball any time soon to avoid putting pressure on the new coach.
``I'm just grateful to the administration here for giving me a chance to do this,'' Hobbs said. ``It's important to me to leave on my own terms, and also to leave the program in good shape.''
HOOP MVP: Steven Motley, a 6-7 Suffolk native who transferred from Nansemond River to Christchurch last fall, was named the most valuable player of the Junior Nationals All-State Prep Basketball Tryouts Saturday at Wake Forest University.
More than 160 varsity players, boys and girls, from Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee took part in the workouts, which were used to determine the rosters for the Junior National Mideast Regional tournament July 4-9 in Columbus, Ohio.
Nearly 50 college coaches watched the tryouts, according to program director Gene Edwards.
``Steven's an excellent basketball player with very good fundamentals,'' Edwards said. ``And he played with a lot of enthusiasm and gusto.''
Motley, a junior, averaged more than 14 points and eight rebounds a game for Christchurch, which went 16-11 and reached the state playoffs.
TENNIS HONOR: Christopher Mast, who starred for the William & Mary tennis team during the late 1970s, was inducted into the Tribe's Hall of Fame on April 8 along with the rest of the 1978-79 team.
Mast, a Suffolk native and the daughter of area tennis guru Howard, was part of a Tribe squad that went 14-0 during the fall season of 1978, then went on to post a 12-5 mark in the spring of 1979. The team finished second at the small college state championships, third at the Region II tournament and third at the AIAW small college nationals. Individually, Mast and teammates Libba Galloway, Mary Catherine Murano and Lynn Russell all qualified for nationals.
Mast also teamed with Sue Howard to win the state Flight One doubles title and placed second in the regional tournament.
The 1978-79 Tribe squad is the seventh William & Mary team to be inducted into the Hall.
SOFTBALL TRYOUTS: The Tidewater Stars are looking for sponsors and girls ages 16 and under (as of Sept. 1) who would like to try out. For details, call Jack Lassiter at 886-9382 or Jackie Miller at 487-5887. by CNB