Vory Billups

Vory Billups

Class of 1984

Sport(s): Basketball

Year Inducted: 2007

In a rare account of our Bennett Sports Hall Of Fame biographies, these two inductees will be included in one space, since their three year varsity basketball careers were so parallel.

Teammates on the varsity basketball squads of 1981 -’82, 1982-’83, 1983-’84, Vary and Junie both had All-High and AIIWNY careers. The 6’7″ Billups, and the 5’8″ Hemphill formed a perfect compliment to each others skills. In their sophomore year Bennett won the Section VI, Class B title. In their junior year Bennett won the Class B title again, and went on to win the N.Y. State Public High School Class B championship at Glens Falls, N.Y. , then lost to Bishop Laughlin H.S. of Brooklyn for the overall Federation (public-private school) title. That squad was led by All-American Curtis Aiken. In 1983 Aiken graduated, and the question lingered, “how will the Tigers fare without their All-American guard? Whereas Billups and Hemphill languished in teammate Aiken’s huge shadow for two years, they came to the fore on their own in their senior year. The Tigers won the “Yale Cup” in 1984, repeated as the N.Y.S. Public School Class “B” champions, and won the Federation, Class B, overall championship versus the private school champion. The bar was set high, and the Tigers led by this pair of stars gave a truly Hall Of Fame performance. The Tigers could not have accomplished this without both of their AII-WNY stars. Coach Larry Veronica recalls both players as stellar defensive players, as well as scorers. “The memory of Vary blocking shots with that impeccable timing that possessed, and Junie so often stealing the ball from anyone foolish enough to dribble against him, will live with me forever.” “Their leadership and work ethic were exemplary.”

Three year varsity career achievements;

Wins 65 – Losses 11
All-High, AII-WNY 1983 and 1984
Yale Cup champions, 1984

Section VI, Class “B” titles – 3
N.Y.S. Public School Championships – 2
N.Y.S. Federation (overall) Championships – 1