He was ‘Captain Phillips’ of the Hampton Bulldogs
Published 6:00 am Thursday, August 8, 2019
- Photo Contributed Doug and Coach J.C. Campbell at football practice.
BY C.Y. PETERS
The Hampton Lady Bulldogs had produced some great basketball players under the leadership of Coach Doug Phillips. In 1998, Phillips began putting together another run of great area players with the help of former Lady Bulldogs superstar Leslie Campbell. They began a summer league basketball program for girls and competed in AAU tournaments, building what would be some of Hampton’s best-ever teams.
They would make the state tournament three of four times beginning with the 1998 team that went 25-6 and took Phillips to Hampton girls first state tournament appearance.
In ’98, Hampton would go undefeated in conference play along with a District, Regional and Sub-State win. The ‘Dogs would only lose one player going into the next season. Sophomore Cyndie Troutman was the leading scorer in ’98 for the Lady’ Dogs averaging 15 points a game. Sophomores Miranda and Amanda Greene controlled the boards along with freshman Alice Peters who would score 19 points in the state tournament game. Tanika Andrews and Rachel Clawson were also sophomores on the team with Ginny White being the only other freshman with Peters. The ’98 season saw Hampton only lose one senior and this season would only have one senior in Heather Hatley. Hatley, a 5’8 senior, would be a true leader for the ‘Dogs and Chrissy England would be the lone six-foot player standing at 6’4. Peters and the Greene sisters all were listed at 5’10. The 2001 team gave Doug and Hampton girls basketball their first-ever 30-game winning season while earning their fourth straight regional title. They would go on to beat Rockwood in the Sub-State and make their third appearance in the State Tournament. This game was after Troutman and the Greene girls had graduated. Peters was joined by Kelly Shoun, Amanda Finney, Kari Stout, Amber Farmer along with White. Three of the girls were selected on first-team All Regional with Peters taking the MVP home. Carter County girls basketball was the hottest in the ’90s that it had ever been. Coach Mike Rader at Happy Valley had made several trips to the state tournament making the finals once. Cloudland’s Rik Anderson won his 200th game in December of ’98 and Coach Larry Bowling at Unaka had one of his best teams with the Taylor twins, Bobbie Blevins, Diana Bowers at a post and Mandy Roberson. The leagues were full of rivals playing against South Greene with Larry Ricker as the head coach and Erwin’s Glen Fisher. All were competitive coaches and knew how to win. Phillips, who began with the Bulldogs back in 1981, compiled over 325 wins in the course of 20 seasons. He had seven 20-win seasons with his final season going 31-3 in 2001. Phillips girl’s team made the sub-state twice in the early ’90s but his 1998 team would be the first state tournament appearance. Doug also was assistant football coach with his friend J.C. Campbell for over 40-years from 1969 till 2009 establishing himself as one of the top defensive and line coaches in Northeast Tennessee. Phillips was a crucial part of three consecutive state semifinal squads from 2005-2007 when the team generated a combined record of 37-5. He also helped the Bulldogs to a final 10-0 record in 1969 plus state quarterfinal showings in 1979, ’83, ’96 and 2009. “Doug was a great basketball coach who I feel never got the credit he deserved,” said Johnson County basketball coach Leon Tolley. Phillips had his hand in coaching baseball as well spending more than 10-years as the head baseball coach with a large amount of success in the ’70s. “He was the best baseball coach I ever played for,” said former player Tim Chambers. “Doug knew baseball. He was a good football and basketball coach but I thought baseball was his sport.” Doug was one of Johnson County’s most decorated sports players starring in football, basketball and baseball. He went on to play college baseball at Appalachian State in North Carolina. Lisa Bunn, who is Doug’s sister, said, “my neighbor wouldn’t have graduated without Mr. Doug Phillips. He stayed after school and tutored me til I got it.” “I owe him a lot,” stated Keith Combs. “Doug was a very caring, compassionate person toward students and community and was known for humor.” “Doug gave me one of the best quotes of all time,” said Jamie Combs. “When I was Sports Editor at the Star, Hampton was beaten handily by Knox Catholic at home one night in 2003. “I was in the coaches’ office afterward and he said, “We got beat by a bad call in this one, Jamie.” “So I said, “What call was that?” He said, “When we picked up the phone and scheduled this game, that was a bad call.”