Ten coaches who won 37 state championships in careers spanning from 1969 to 2024 will be inducted into the Georgia Basketball Coaches Association (GBCA) Hall of Fame this weekend.
The honorees go back to Jane Williamson, who led Haralson County’s girls teams to five consecutive championship games in the early 1970s, through Chantay Frost, who won the last of her four state titles with Mays in 2017 and coached high school teams through 2024.
Other inductees, and their primary schools, are Ron Bell, Marist; James Bland, Randolph-Clay; Willie Boston, Westover; Anzy Hardman, Woodbury and Taylor County; Manson Hill, Gainesville; Charlie Hood, Marietta; A.C. McCullers, Morrow; and Seth Vining, East Hall.
The Hall of Fame is the work of the GBCA, a branch of the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association. The GBCA inducted its first set of 10 coaches last spring.
Many of the first 20 inductees are also in the GACA Hall of Fame, which is in Dalton. GBCA executive director Allen Whitehart is not concerned about the overlap.
“We are trying to promote basketball in the state, not only for players, but for coaches who have done remarkable things,” Whitehart said. “We really feel it’s important to recognize our own and their impact on student athletes and to game of basketball.”
The ceremony will begin 10 a.m. Saturday at the Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway. Inductees will receive rings and jackets.
The induction is part of the GBCA’s all-star weekend. Four senior all-star games will begin at noon at the Gateway Center Arena, home of the Skyhawks' NBA G League team, in College Park. Those rosters have not been finalized.
2025 GBCA Hall of Fame inductees:
Ron Bell: Won Class 3A boys championships at Marist in 1989, 1994 and 2000 and was runner-up three times. Career record of 616-199. Retired in 2005. Died in 2021.
James Bland: Reached 10 girls final fours and won two state titles (1996, 2000) at Randolph-Clay. Won 601 games in 26 seasons. Retired in 2007.
Willie Boston: Led Westover’s boys to 436 wins and six state titles (1990-91-92-93, 1998, 2001) in a 22-year career. Retired in 2001. Died in 2006.
Chantay Frost: Won girls state titles at Columbia (2010, 2012, 2013) and Mays (2017).
Anzy Hardman: Won four boys state titles at Woodbury (1981, 1983, 1984, 1985) and two at Taylor County (2001, 2002). Retired in 2016.
Manson Hill: Led Gainesville’s girls to state titles in 1994, 2001, 2003, 2004. Retired in 2011.
Charlie Hood: Won boys state titles in the highest classification at Marietta in 1983 and 1997. Retired after the 2009 season with a 715-284 career record.
A.C. McCullers: Won girls state titles for Morrow in the highest class in 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993 and reached nine final fours. Retired in 2019 with a 877-336 record. Died in 2023.
Seth Vining: Coached 39 seasons in Hall County and won two girls state titles (1979-80) and two boys titles (2002, 2003) at East Hall. Retired in 2009 with a 709-267 record.
Jane Williamson: Led Haralson County’s girls to five straight Class A finals appearances and won in 1973 and 1975. Retired in 2014.
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