Larry & Connie Davidson Classic 'like a homecoming' for Oxford basketball

Dec. 9—OXFORD — Connie Davidson stood before a black cinder-block wall full of painted on names of former Oxford High basketball players and pointed to the one she calls her "favorite" Thursday.

The name on the wall? Chauncey Teague, '94.

How did he become the favorite of his former teacher and wife of his hall-of-fame Oxford coach? It was the smile, she explained. The presence. The way the late Teague could command attention without uttering a word.

"I got a call from him right before he died" in a motorcycle accident, Davidson said. "He said, 'I just wanted to say, 'I love you.'"

Behind Davidson are the painted white-and-gold words that define the theme of the walls in current Oxford varsity boys' basketball coach Joel Van Meter's Oxford Sports Arena classroom: We Play For Those Who Came Before Us.

Honoring former Oxford players is the thought that inspired the first-ever Larry & Connie Davidson Classic, which started Thursday.

White Plains' boys, coached by Chris Randall, who played for Larry Davidson in 1986, while a sophomore at Oxford, fell 60-52 to Paulding County (Ga.) in the opener.

Anthony Bush, son of former Oxford player Deidra Houston, played for Paulding County as mom watched from behind the bench. The former teammate of Ali Davidson, Larry's and Connie's oldest daughter, and her family had their moment in front of Connie Davidson's cell-phone camera at halftime of the White Plains-Paulding County game.

Oxford's boys and girls played Pinson Valley in the two later games Thursday. The girls won 59-20, and the boys lost 63-43.

The Classic continues Friday night, with Northgate (Ga.) playing Central-Phenix City at 6:30 p.m. and Oxford's boys playing Carrollton (Ga.) at 8 p.m.

Saturday's full slate includes Jacksonville vs. B.B. Comer at 11 a.m., Chelsea vs. Central at 12:30 p.m., Dothan vs. Huffman at 2 p.m., Homewood vs. Fairfield at 3:30 p.m., Shades Valley vs. Auburn at 5 p.m., Oxford girls vs. Auburn at 6:30 p.m. and Oxford boys vs. Hiram at 8 p.m.

Thursday's games played out like Friday's games will play out ... with Larry Davidson on press row, performing his duties as Oxford's long-time athletics director. Connie Davidson will watch from a few bleachers up, behind her husband's spot, at the spot marked by the wall-mounted Connie's Corner sign.

Van Meter, Oxford's coach since 2010, fulfilled his long desire to have a classic, which affords his team three home games in as many nights.

He also came up with the idea to name it for his boss and his boss' wife, a duo that has put more than 40 years of life and love into Oxford High, its sports programs and its basketball program, in particular.

"It was an opportunity for us to give back to them," Van Meter said. "Obviously, his name is on the court. She's got a spot up there and remains on the wall.

"His name is on the wall: AHSAA Hall of Fame — Calhoun County Hall of Fame — but it was our way of maybe giving back to them and naming the classic and something we want to do every year."

Thought and gesture resonated.

"The coolest thing about it is, throughout 43 years, we've just always wanted to serve," Connie Davidson said. "I call them my boys, and we've always wanted them to know that they were loved, and that they always had a place to come back to."

Van Meter also conceived the theme of honoring former players, which dribbles through the legs of theming behind his commemorative classroom wall, a floor down from Larry Davidson Court.

The name-filled wall is four years in development. A gold-tinted collage of former players rims the top quarter. The bottom three quarters are black, with names and graduation years.

Van Meter, his wife Katy and two kids painted the room. Two former art students painted on the names, supplied by Van Meter's father-in-law, former Oxford player Larry Skinner, as well as Paul Bain, Jay Stephens, Don Hudson and Larry Davidson.

Names fill one wall and have begun to populate the other three walls. They date back to Billy Hardwick, Howard Brimer, Ned Hughes and Jimmy Russell, Class of 1947, and run to Rylan Houck, Mike McGraw, Kyler Wright, Zurell Garrett and Aaron McFarland, Class of 2022.

The inspiration came from former Villanova University coach Jay Wright, who often talked about "playing for those who came before us" during his national-championship career,

"I wanted a way for our guys to see who played before them, who sweated, grinded and bled for Oxford High School basketball," Van Meter said. "I also wanted to honor the former players."

Oxford basketball connections dot the classic.

B.B. Comer, a late Saturday fill-in team because Carrollton's football team will play for a state championship, will feature head coach and former Weaver head coach Marcus Herbert, who most recently coached under Van Meter at Oxford.

Former Oxford player and assistant coach Jeremy Bynum is Dothan's head coach.

Former Yellow Jacket LaVarrett Pearson is Northgate's head coach.

Former Saks coach Charles Burkett, a long-time friend of Larry Davidson's, is Central-Phenix City's head coach.

Former Oxford standouts Gary Mason and Wendell Kelley work on TV24's broadcast of the tournament. Kelley's son, Jordan Kelley, is a junior forward for Oxford.

"It's good to get those old guys back, who played in that old gym, to come back and see what these guys are doing now," Larry Davidson said.

Randall played for Larry Davidson at Oxford before transferring to Trinity Christian.

"We were always close with Chris, and Chris was working for UPS," Connie Davidson said. "I can't tell you the conversations that Larry and I had with him, conversations of, 'Are you happy? Are you doing what you want to do? Is this really your calling?'

"There was a time when we thought Chris might be coaching here."

Randall, who played with Mason at Oxford, recalled Connie Davidson's pregame cookies and encouraging notes after games.

"She treated me in '86 like I was her son," he said.

Randal called Larry Davidson "a great mentor and good friend."

"We have a kindred spirit, because we both love the game so much," Randall said. "He's a basketball guy. He's a lifer, and I'm a lifer.

"He's been at one school for 42 years, and I've been at White Plains for 22, and I don't want to go anywhere, either. That kind of rubbed off on me."

Randall said he committed to bringing his White Plains team to the Larry & Connie Davidson Classic the moment Van Meter told him the classic would bear the Davidsons' names.

"I wouldn't care if we're playing the Celtics," he said. "I'm in."

Meanwhile, Larry and Connie Davidson soak in the sentimental journey.

"It's really kind of like a homecoming," Connie Davidson said. "It means a lot to us to be able to see some of them again and know that they're doing well."

Sports Writer Joe Medley: 256-236-1551. On Twitter: @jmedley_star.